The Heart Never Lies
by Obsessed63
Summary: This is my first House/Cameron Fic. Cameron has a stalker. Will House be able to save her from this deranged person? Will House finally tell Cameron he loves her? WARNING: Some Violence and Adult Content.
1. House has an Idea

**This story takes place 8 months after Cameron gives House her resignation.**

**The Heart Never Lies**

Chapter 1

Monday Morning…

Gregory House walked through the front doors of Plainsboro Teaching Hospital at 9 a.m. and headed straight to the elevator and punched the button. He wasn't in the best of moods this Monday morning due to not getting much sleep the past several nights. As he waited for the elevator doors to open to take him to the fourth floor, he heard a familiar voice behind him. He didn't have to turn around to know it was Wilson who was walking up behind him.

"Good morning House," Wilson said in a cheery voice.

"There is no reason to be so happy in the morning unless you had mind boggling sex the night before." He stated as he turned to look at Wilson, however a certain blonde minx hitting the vending machine down the hall caught his eye. He watched as she began to shake the contrary machine, this time giving it a kick to go along with it. A crooked smiled tugged at the corners of his mouth. Ignoring Wilson's babble, he couldn't resist the urge and headed towards Allison Cameron who obviously was not having a good morning either.

Wilson realized that he was yet again, being ignored by House and wondered what his limping friend had turned his attention to. "Where are you going?" He looked past House and saw Cameron down the hall. He shook his head and followed.

House reached the vending machine and with one swift movement, smacked the side of the machine hard. This startled Cameron who looked up only to be met by the piercing blue eyes of Gregory House. She couldn't ignore the fluttering in the pit of her stomach.

Her package of crackers tumbled down to the opening and she grabbed them. "Thanks!" She said with a smile.

"You're welcome. This machine can be a pain in the ass at times. I speak from personal experience."

"Reminds me of a certain doctor I know." She said teasingly and flashed him another enticing smile.

He gave her one of his famous smirks in return.

Wilson, who had now joined them, said hello to Cameron.

"Good morning Wilson." Cameron said.

Wilson gave House a sideways grin and House gave a grunt in return.

Cameron saw the exchanged looks between the two mischievous doctors but thought it best to ignore the thought of asking what they were up to.

After a brief moment of silence she spoke, "Well, some of us have to work for a living. So, I better get back to the ER. Thanks again for helping me retrieve my breakfast." She said to House as she opened up her crackers and popped one in her mouth. She turned and walked down the hallway that seemed longer than it did a few minutes ago, feeling the weight of House's blue eyes upon her.

House didn't move and continued watching her, tilting his head to the side, admiring her sweet little ass as it swayed from side to side.

Wilson watched him with some amusement. "So, what was that all about?" Knowing House was probably not going to give him a straight answer.

Wilson's question took House away from his thoughts. "What?" He asked as they walked back to the elevators.

"You know what. What's with you and Cameron?"

"Oh that. I was just helping a damsel in distress." He answered, shrugging his shoulders. They stepped onto the elevator. "However, I just had a brilliant idea that may cure my sleepless nights." Suddenly, his mood had greatly improved since he had walked through the front doors fifteen minutes ago.

They rode the elevator in silence to the fourth floor. Wilson kept waiting for House to tell him what his new idea was. With nothing said, he stopped outside his door and finally asked, "So, are you going to tell me what this idea of yours is?" He hated that his curiosity had gotten the best of him and that he felt the need to ask.

"Not yet." House said over his shoulder. "It's still in the works but you'll know soon enough if it pans out." His answer left Wilson at his door with curious thoughts going through his head.

A couple of minutes later House walked into the conference room where he found Foreman, Taub and Remy already there, sitting at the long glass table, all three with their nose in a book or magazine.

"How are my children this morning?" House said in a mildly good mood.

The three mumbled under their breath that they were fine.

House walked over to the coffeepot, grabbed his favorite red mug and filled it to the brim and added a little cream. He took a sip and made a horrible face. "This is terrible. Who made this?"

Remy, with her nose still in a magazine, raised her hand not looking at him.

"You're a girl. You're supposed to know how to make it." He said as he walked over to where she was sitting.

"That's a pretty sexist remark." Taub said.

House shrugged as he looked over Remy's shoulder to see what magazine she was so involved in.

"Do we have a new case today?" Foreman asked, hoping.

"Not that I'm aware of." House replied taking another sip of his coffee with a wrinkled nose. "This really sucks." He walked back to the sink and dumped the thick dark liquid down the drain.

"Then don't drink it." Remy snapped still not looking at him.

"Well aren't we in a pissy mood. That time of the month?" House snarled.

He huffed into his office, not pleased that he didn't have a cup of coffee in his hand. He tossed his bag on the sofa and sat down behind his desk. He turned on his computer and began to look at his emails. _I hate answering these things,_ he thought. After he skimmed through several, not really reading any of them, he leaned back in his chair and started thinking about his new plan. A smile came over him. He stood up, grabbed his cane and went back into the conference room where the other three were. He looked around.

"Where's the fourth child?" He asked.

"What?" Taub asked,

"The fourth child, the retarded one?"

At that moment, Kutner walked in and heard House. "Are you calling me retarded?"

"If the shoe fits."

Foreman looked over the top of the magazine he was reading. "Don't refer to me as one of your children. Been there done that."

"That's right. You're Cuddy's child slave now, no pun intended." House walked to the door.

Foreman rolled his eyes at House, ignoring his comment.

"All of you find something to occupy yourself with. I can't be paying you for doing nothing. Thirteen and Taub, you can go to the clinic for the morning. Kutner, go to the ER and see if Dr. Cameron needs any help."

They all looked at him curiously.

"You want me to go help Dr. Cameron?" Kutner asked. "Did I stutter?" House said sarcastically.

"Since when do we help in the ER?" Foreman asked.

"Since I am trying to find something for you to do. They are busy down there and I'm sure she will appreciate it." House replied nonchalantly.

"Do you want me to spy?" Kutner asked still trying to understand why he was being sent to the ER. House gave him a sly grin. "No, I just want you to help her. That's all. I have a meeting with Cuddy. Be back in awhile." He walked out and a soft whistle escaped his puckered lips.

Foreman watched him walk away and wondered what House was up to.

**********

Kutner reached the ER and looked around. House was right. It was a mad house. He glanced around looking for Dr. Cameron. He spotted her coming out from behind one of the curtains and walked towards her.

"Dr. Cameron?" Kutner called out to her.

Cameron looked up. "Hi Kutner. What's up?" She asked as she hurried past him to the desk to type something into the computer.

"House sent me down here to offer my services." He said as she quickly walked passed him.

She didn't look up. "What did you say?" and began typing information into the computer.

"House sent me down here to help out." He repeated.

This time she stopped and gave him her full attention. A curious look came across her face. "Why would he send you down here to help me?" She said, wondering if she should believe Kutner or not.

"We don't have a case and he's trying to find things for us to do, so he sent me here." He looked around. "By the looks of it, you can use the help."

"You're right, we can. Are you sure he didn't send you down here to spy?" She asked and began to type again.

"I asked him that because I had the same thought, but he said no."

She smiled. "House has an extraordinary way of getting what he wants without telling you what it is that he wants. By telling you he doesn't want you to spy then drilling you with questions later, is how he usually operates."

He looked at her. "What is there to spy on?"

"I don't know. It depends on what he wants." She handed him a file. "You can take curtain number four, over there." She pointed behind him and to the right. "Let me know if you need any assistance." She started walking away. "Oh and Kutner?"

"Yeah?" "I appreciate the help." She continued to walk behind another curtain.

He smiled at her and went behind curtain four.


	2. House wants Cameron Back

****************

**Chapter 2 - House wants Cameron back…**

House stood outside Cuddy's door, waiting for her to hang up the phone. He admired the new assistant she had recently hired. He watched the young woman's slender form as she placed files in the filing cabinet.

Cuddy opened her door. "You can come in now House." She walked back over to her desk but didn't sit down.

"When did you hire her?" He motioned to the attractive girl in the foyer.

"Today is her first day. Please don't mentally molest her. She is only 22." Cuddy said with a mild pleading tone.

"Hmmm." He said as he licked his lips. "Young meat."

"House! That's someone's daughter. Stop it." She said rolling her eyes. "You are all someone's daughter." He stated the obvious.

"Why are you here so early?" She asked as she straightened some papers on her desk.

He sat down in the chair that was in front of her desk. "I want to hire Cameron back." He said bluntly.

She didn't look up. "I'm sorry. It sounded like you just said you wanted to hire Cameron back."

"I did." He picked up a piece of paper that was on her desk and pretended to read it.

She stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "You want to hire Cameron back? What is this about House? You can't be serious." She leaned over, giving him a perfect view down her blouse and grabbed the piece of paper out of his hand. She stared at him, not believing him.

"Au contraire, I'm very serious." He said expressionless as he began to twirl his cane through his fingers.

Cuddy sat down in her chair and leaned on her desk, placing her folded hands underneath her chin. "What are you up to?" She asked in a more serious tone.

"Why must I be up to something? Can't I just want Cameron back?" He couldn't help the smile that tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"Why after all this time and after saying you would never ask her back, are you telling me you want to hire her back?"

"I need new blood." "You have new blood House. Three of them plus Foreman." Cuddy's voice elevated slightly.

"They are raw blood, inexperienced blood and Foreman is used blood."

"And Cameron isn't considered used blood?" She said with a raised eyebrow.

House sighed. "The new children are not inspiring me. I need inspiration. I need them to make me think, to make it fun. It isn't fun any more." He whined.

"And Cameron can do this for you?" Now crossing her arms in front of her to go along with the raised eyebrows.

"I know she can. She and Foreman are excellent at arguing and they make me think. Just for the record, I don't want Foreman to ever know I might want him around."

She leaned back in her large maroon leather chair and eyed him carefully. "You must be serious. You haven't made one sexual comment to me yet."

"Oh, I'm sorry. Nice boobies. Got a good look at them in your red bra when you purposely leaned over your desk. Red huh? Must have a hot lunch date."

She shook her head. "I didn't lean over on purpose."

"Whatever, I know you want my hot body. Now, can we get back to the issue at hand? I'm serious. So how 'bout it? Can I hire her?" He averted his eyes downward away from her intent stare.

"Have you talked to Cameron about this?"

"Not yet. I know this may surprise you, but I wanted to clear it with you first." "That is a surprise and it's also why I think you're up to something." She narrowed her eyes at him. "What if she doesn't want to work with you again?" "Never thought about that." He said showing fake shock that she would actually think that. "We'll just entice her with more money." He added.

"How much more?"

"Same as Foreman."

"Foreman is making exactly what he made when he left." Cuddy said not sure she understood.

"Exactly, which is more than what Cameron was making when she left."

"I can't just approve an amount like that. I have to get an approval not to mention approval to add another person to your team."

"Get rid of Foreman or Taub, he's boring."

Cuddy gave him a smirk. "I can't just get rid of them for no reason. Neither can you."

"I have faith in your… abilities." He gave her a mischievous grin.

She looked at him seriously. "I'm not sure more money is going to be the deciding factor for Cameron. She did resign and whether you want to believe this or not, she has… changed."

He eyed her knowing she knew his belief that no one changes. He ignored the comment. "That's right, she did resign but I'm banking on that she is bored. Cameron likes to be challenged. There is only so much challenge in the ER."

Cuddy thought about this for a moment. _House could be right, _she thought. "Supposing she accepts your offer, when would you want her to start?"

"Immediately. I need inspiration now." House stood. He was getting tired of the conversation and wanted her approval now.

"I need time to find a qualified person to take her place." Cuddy noticed his impatience with her was growing.

"Then find someone. I'm sure there are several people who would like to run the ER." He walked to the door.

"But there aren't many who have the abilities to run the ER. Cameron is amazing." She stared at him for a minute. "Are you sure you want to do this?" "Yes. If I wasn't, I wouldn't be here. So, is the answer yes?"

She stared at him, still trying to figure out what was behind his plan. "If she accepts, I will get approval for it."

He gave her a nod and walked out the door. He made sure he locked eyes with the young assistant and shot her a smile, knowing Cuddy was watching him. The young girl gave him a sexy smile back.

Cuddy watched the girl flirt with House and rolled her eyes.


	3. Kutner & Cameron

****************

**Chapter 3 - Kutner & Cameron…**

Kutner continued to help in the ER for a couple of hours until it thinned out. He walked to the counter where Cameron was standing and handed her his last file.

"Thanks." She said as she took the file from him. "Did you have fun?"

"No." He said as he leaned against the counter. "I wouldn't want to do this every day."

"I never thought I would either." She laughed. "But I do." She walked around to the stack of files that were waiting to be filed.

"So, why do you?" He asked her curiously.

She was surprised by his question. "I like helping people."

"You were helping people when you worked for House."

"Yes, I was." She answered as she picked up a file and looked at it.

Kutner stared at her for a minute. "Why did you resign?"

Cameron looked past Kutner as if to think about her response. "I thought I had gotten all I could from that job."

"But now?"

She eyed him with a raised eyebrow. "Why all the questions? Are you sure House didn't send you down here to see if I was miserable so he could use it against me later?"

"No, he really didn't ask me to spy." He smiled trying to make her believe he was telling the truth.

"Then why?"

"It's just this, the ER, doesn't suit you. I'm surprised, that's all."

"You're right, the ER is a lot different than solving mystery illnesses." She looked at him for a moment. "But it does have its moments."

"So, you miss working the cases?"

"Sometimes." She lied. She missed working them all the time but that was for her to know only.

"Well," He slapped his hand on the counter. "It seems my work is done here. I better find something else to do or House will stick me in the clinic for the rest of the day which is almost as bad as the ER."

"Go to Records."

"What?"

"Go to the Records department. They always need help and he'll never think to look for you there. Besides, it will keep you out of the clinic." She said and started putting the files away.

He smiled. "Thanks. I will."

She thanked him again and he set off to his new destination.

Cameron watched Kutner walk away and thoughts of the night she resigned and the look on House's face when she gave him her letter crossed her mind. Was she happy she had left the diagnostics department? Yes and no. She had really thought she was ready and would feel no remorse for leaving. But the truth was, she missed it very much, more than she ever thought she would. However, running the ER was no small challenge and she hoped that it would open another door for her down the way.

She sighed and realized she was standing with the file drawer open, still holding the files in her hand. She scolded herself for getting lost in thought and proceeded to put the files in their proper place, not letting her mind wonder to that subject again.

**********

House peeked in on Taub and Thirteen. The clinic was very busy with all the flu that was going around. He shuddered. He didn't want to be caught down here. If he stayed too long, Cuddy would put him to work. He wondered how Kutner was doing with Cameron. He looked at his watch; it was noon. He knew Wilson would be making his way to the cafeteria soon.


	4. House & Wilson in Cafeteria

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**Chapter 4**

Wilson could see House waiting for him at the entrance of the cafeteria. "I am not buying your lunch today."

"Sure you are. I'll eat light."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Yeah, that will be the day. When are you going to buy my lunch?"

"I take care of you in other ways." House said as he took a tray and put a ham and cheese sandwich on it, along with a cup of chocolate pudding and a diet coke.

"Name one." Wilson said.

"It's so like you to never notice the things I do for you." House responded in a teasing manner.

Wilson rolled his eyes.

House waited as Wilson paid for both of their lunches and then followed him to a table off to the side, by the window and sat down.

Wilson didn't say anything and began to break up the crackers into his chili.

House put mayo on his sandwich and took a large bite. After a few minutes, he broke the silence.

"Do you talk to Cameron much?"

Wilson is surprised at the question. He shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Sometimes. Why?"

"Just wondering if she ever brings up working in the ER."

Wilson took a drink of his iced tea and thought about how he should respond to the question. "Let's see, the last time we had a lengthy conversation was about two weeks ago, over dinner. She made the comment about how many hours she was putting in and that she was tired." He said taking a bite of his chili.

House eyed him. "Over dinner?"Wilson just smiled but didn't elaborate any further, knowing it would bug House. It was worth watching him squirm, for a few short minutes of satisfaction.

House saw the smile and didn't like it. "Just how often do the two of you have dinner together?" House had now laid his sandwich down and watched Wilson.

"Every once in a while. Sometimes we just have a drink together." Wilson said nonchalantly.

"Since when do you socialize with Cameron?""Does it bother you that I have dinner with Cameron?" Wilson asked smiling inwardly now.

"No. I just find it curious that you have never mentioned it to me. How long have you two been getting together?" House did his best to hide the fact it did bother smiled. "For a while now. We started hanging out after she started in the ER, about six months ago."

House continued to eye Wilson. "You have been hiding this from me for six months?" House didn't mean to sound so shocked.

"I haven't been hiding it from you." Wilson said, trying to convince House.

"Yes you have."

"Look, I don't tell you about everyone I socialize with.""Yes you do, especially when they work here."

"Cameron and I are friends. Besides, she's different."

"Why is Cameron different?" House asked.

"If I had told you I was seeing Cameron you would have drilled me about everything we talked about."

"What do you talk about?"

Wilson sighed. "House, stop. We don't talk about you." He lied.

"Do you talk about Chase?"

"Sometimes." Wilson suddenly felt like he was being backed into a corner. "We talk about a lot of things."

"Why don't you talk about me?""Because she knows I'm your best friend. What is this about?" Wilson asked holding his hands up in a gesture.

"Nothing. I forgot what I was talking about in the first place." House said somewhat annoyed.

"Well, it was you who got off the subject. You were asking me about Cameron and the ER. Why?"

"Never mind. I was going to share my idea with you but now I'm not." He said in a childish tone.

Wilson put his spoon down and looked at House. "Oh c'mon. Just tell me. It has to do with Cameron, doesn't it?"

House closed his mouth and pretended to lock his lips.

"You're a child, do you know that?""And you're not?"

"You would think you were going to ask Cameron to come back or something." Wilson said, not really serious.

House couldn't hide the surprised look on his face.

Wilson didn't miss the look. "Is that your plan?" He asked surprised.

House gave him a devilish grin. "You'll never know now." He stood up and left, taking his spoon and pudding with him.

Wilson sat back in his chair and wondered what his friend was up to.


	5. House asks Cameron to dinner

****************

**Chapter 5**

House made his way to the ER, using Kutner as an excuse for being there and pretended to search for him behind several of the curtains. He looked across the room and saw Cameron putting a bandage on a small boy's arm. He stepped off to the side so she couldn't see him and continued to watch. He could tell by the expression on her and the boy's face, that she was telling him something funny. The boy started to laugh and she reached up to dry the tears on his face. The child instantly melted into Cameron's touch and wrapped his little arms around her neck. A small smile crossed House's face. She can charm them no matter what the age, he thought. She helped the small boy off the bed when an older man stepped into view, presumable the father of the child and took the boy's hand. The man leaned in close to her and whispered something into her ear. House heard Cameron give a little laugh and wondered what the man had said to her. It surprised him that he felt a little jealous watching this.

Cameron stepped out into the hall with her young patient and waved good bye to him and the older man. She turned to see House leaning on his cane, watching her. She slowly walked towards him.

House didn't expect Cameron to catch him watching her and held his breath when she started walking towards him.

"A friend of yours?" He managed to say casually and motioned to the man and boy walking away.

Cameron looked over her shoulder. "Sort of. He works for hospital security. His son cut his arm."

"Looked pretty friendly to me." He said seriously. "He was leaning in pretty close to you."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Must you make something out of everything?" She asked, seeing that a drop of pudding had fallen on his chin. She stepped closer to him, causing him to pull his head back slightly. She grinned and took her finger and wiped the drop of pudding from his chin then stuck her finger in her mouth. "Mmm. Taste pretty good."

He was surprised at her move and wondered if she was only talking about the pudding. "I'm looking for one of my children that I sent down here. What have you done with him?"

"He was here. He left over an hour ago. Why did you send him down here anyway? He sure was asking a bunch of questions." She asked eyeing him.

"Maybe he's just curious. I sent him here because he needed something to do and I thought you could use the help."

"Why don't I believe you?" She asked accusingly. "Because you're House, that's why." She answered her own question and shot him a coy smile.

A smile tugged at the corner of his mouth as he followed her into the break room. She grabbed a mug and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Would you like a cup?" She asked adding a little bit of the vanilla cream sitting on the counter.

"Did you make it?"

"No, but it's not bad."

"I'll pass."

She watched him. "You look like you have something on your mind."

He let his eyes travel down the front of her. She looked like she had lost some weight, something she couldn't afford to do but he noticed even with her hair gathered in a mess on top of her head and even in the pink scrubs, she was very attractive.

She tried not to let his stare rattle her as she filled her cup with coffee, waiting for him to tell her what he wanted. "Ah. The silent statement. A sure sign there is something on your mind. And of course there are the other signs."

"What other signs?" He asked with curiosity now looking into her green eyes. He had forgotten how pretty her eyes were.

"First, you help me this morning at the vending machine. Then you send Kutner down to help and now you're down here being… civil to me. Too much niceness from House makes one wonder what's up?"

He stood a little uneasy as he leaned against the counter. He didn't like it when he didn't feel in control. He cleared his throat. "Actually, helping you at the vending machine gave me an idea. What time do you get off today?"

She was taken back with his question. "At five. Why?"

He looked away nervously. "How about grabbing a bite to eat with me after work? I have a proposition to run by you."

She looked at him with a half grin. "Really? And this requires dinner?"

"Just thought I would run it by you over food. You do still eat don't you?" Wondering if she actually did any more.

She watched him for a minute before answering, trying to read his thoughts. "Okay. I'm intrigued. Where?"

"I thought about that steak place down the street. Steak is always good."

"Wow. This must be quite a proposition if you are going to woo me with steak." She looked at him. "Wait, are you paying?"

He sighed and rolled his eyes. "I'll pay."

"Promise?" She asked skeptically"I see you haven't changed. You always make things harder than what they need to be. I said I would pay. I've paid for your dinner before."

She knew he was referring to the date they had two years ago. "Yes you did. However, I seem to remember you turning into an ass in the middle of that dinner, causing the fact that you paid not to matter so much. Are you planning on being an ass tonight?" She asked in a teasing but serious tone.

"You should know by now that I never plan it. I'm just that way naturally. But to answer your question, no, I will be on my best behavior."

"Okay." She said accepting his answer. "Do you just want me to meet you at the restaurant after I'm through here? It'll be around five thirty."

"That'll work." He looked her over. "You need to change your clothes though. You can't go in there dressed like that and do something with your hair too."

She smacked him on the arm. "Don't make fun of how I look. I work hard. Don't worry, I won't embarrass you." She walked out of the break room. "I'll see you later."

He watched her as she walked away thinking about the evening.

**********

The rest of the day was uneventful in House's world. He kept Taub and Thirteen in the clinic and he wasn't sure where Kutner or Foreman had run off to. Wherever they were hiding, it was good. He didn't see any of them until four o'clock.

Taub found House in his office playing with his PSP. "Do you think we can go home early today?"

House didn't look up.

A minute later Foreman stepped in. "Do we have any new cases coming our way?"

House still didn't look up. "None that I'm aware of."

Foreman let out a long sigh. "This is going to be a long week if we don't.

House stopped playing his PSP and looked at the two men standing in front of his desk. "Go home."

Taub smiled and went into the other room to grab his stuff.

"Sounds good to me. See you in the morning." Foreman said as he walked out of the room.

"Don't let Cuddy see you leaving." He yelled at them before they all left for the evening.

Once everyone was gone, he put his game away and walked over to his window to look out. It had started to snow again. He cursed himself for riding his bike. He knew he should have taken a cab in. He grabbed his bag and started packing everything up for the day. He wanted to get to the restaurant before Cameron so he could have a couple of drinks to loosen up. He was putting his coat on when he heard a knock at his door.

"Yeah."

Wilson poked his head in.

House just looked at him.

"Are you going to tell me what you're up to?" Wilson whined.

"I will tomorrow. I have to see how things play out first." House said as he walked towards the door where Wilson was standing.

"That's not fair. Are you asking Cameron to come back to work for you?"House stopped in front of him. "What if I am?""I think that would be great, but I would ask why."

"I have my reasons." House stated bluntly."So you are asking her to come back?" Wilson asked again.

"This is killing you isn't it?" House asked amused.

"I hate to admit it, but yes it's killing me." Wilson regrettably admits.

"See, being kept out of the loop isn't fun, is it?"

"Are you doing this because I didn't tell you that Cameron and I have been talking?"

House smirked.

"You have got to be kidding me. This is ridiculous."

"Is it? I gotta go. I have plans." He said wiggling his eyebrows. He walked out, waiting for Wilson to follow so he could lock his door.

"So, we aren't having dinner together?" Wilson asked."Were we supposed to have dinner together?""No, I just thought we would since that is what we normally do."

"Not tonight Jimmy boy. I have something I have to take care of."

Wilson let the subject drop as he watched House walked to the elevator to leave.


	6. House waits for Cameron at restaurant

****************

**Chapter 6**

House was frozen by the time he arrived at the restaurant. He had only worn a light coat, not thinking much about the weather when he left home this morning. He walked into the softly lit room and was greeted by an attractive red headed woman he didn't remember seeing in the restaurant before. She gave him a pretty smile and led him to a table for two next to the large stone fireplace. He took off his coat and sat down, welcoming the warmth of the glowing fire. A waiter promptly stopped by his table to take his drink order, which of course he ordered his favorite, scotch on the rocks. He glanced at his watch. It was ten minutes until five. He took out the orange vial that was stuffed in his pocket and shook out two little white pills into the palm of his hand. He popped them into his mouth, not waiting for his drink. He couldn't deny the fluttering in his stomach and scolded himself for being nervous.

He looked around the room and saw that it wasn't busy yet. A good sign that he and Cameron wouldn't have to wait too long for their food, which was a good thing since he was already starving. When the waiter sat his drink down in front of him, he gladly took a big sip, letting the fiery liquid slowly slide down his throat.

He leaned back in his chair and felt the alcohol starting to do its job, helping him to finally relax. Across the room, the red headed hostess shot him another smile and this time he returned the smile, thinking how attractive she was. However, as if on cue, thoughts of Cameron conspicuously began to fill his mind taking his attention away from the woman across the room. He wondered what had gone through Cameron's curious mind after he had asked her to meet him tonight? The thought of her spending the day, trying to figure out what he was up to, almost made him laugh out loud. It also didn't take a rocket scientist for those who were paying attention to notice that he had been showing up in the ER more since she was running things now. He always had some kind of an excuse for being there; either he wanted her input on a case or he needed a new case or sometimes it was just to harass her but the real reason was he had an unexplained need to be around her. I miss her, he finally admitted and for the first time in a very long time, he thought about the night she gave him her resignation letter.

He took another sip of his drink and let his mind wander back to that night. He remembered it like it had happened yesterday. It had been a very bad day, not to mention a very bad week. He had just finished another grueling meeting with Cuddy and all he wanted to do was to just grab his stuff and get out of there. As he approached his office, he could see Cameron sitting at his desk, usually a sign that he was in trouble with her, but this wasn't the case on that night. He had stood outside his door and watched her for a minute before entering, noticing how the light from the lamp that sat on his desk had cast a soft glow around her. He pushed the door open slowly and the air in the room had felt heavy with the weight of her thoughts and he instantly knew something was amiss. She looked up and smiled warmly at him as he walked towards his desk. He was just about to say something sarcastic when she stood and gave him one of those looks that he knew so well. It was a look of finality. She moved slowly towards him and placed the letter in his hand and as if she was sensing he was going to say something pungent she stopped him and told him it was her resignation. He instantly felt a burning sensation inside as if someone had punched him in the gut. He had been totally caught off guard and didn't know what to say except to ask if she was quitting because he had fired Chase but she denied that was the reason. He knew he should have said something clever that would have made her rethink her decision but she had been so convincing when she said that she was ready to leave. Then she placed her hand on his arm and looked at him intently, telling him that she was going to miss him. That touch… her touch, was burned into his skin, leaving a lasting affect on him. There were times he could still feel that touch. He kept his back to her and refused to watch her walk away.

After she left his office he held her letter in his hand for a very long time, afraid to open it… afraid of the words that were no doubt carefully chosen and written. He stuffed it in his bag and went home and drank almost an entire bottle of scotch, not wanting to feel the emptiness over her leaving, hoping he would wake up the next day and find it had only been a dream. Instead, he woke the next morning with a headache from hell and found the letter still stuffed in his bag. He took it out and placed it in between the worn pages of the gray book, high on his bookshelf, still unopened to this day. Her leaving had done something to him he hadn't expected. It had made him feel something he hadn't wanted to feel and it took him a while to convince himself that he didn't have any feelings for her. And now, he was about to face his demon head on and ask her to return.

He suddenly had a thought that maybe this wasn't such a good idea. He took another sip of his drink and quickly dismissed the thought and began to think about how he should bring the subject up without sounding like an idiot. He had to be careful, she had the ability to read him, sometimes better than he was able to read himself and he didn't want her to think there were any other reasons for asking her back. He was absolutely sure that he only wanted her to return for the reasons already said and there was nothing else lurking in that dark mind of his.

He finished his drink and scolded himself for filling his head with doubt. He was not the kind of person who doubted his decisions too often. He looked at his watch again. It was now five twenty three. The waiter stopped by his table again and asked if he wanted another drink. He thought for a moment. If memory served him correctly, Cameron liked wine. He ordered another scotch for himself and a glass of Cabernet for Cameron… and waited.

**********

Cameron finished her shift right at five o'clock and quickly headed to her locker. She was anxious to change her clothes and get out of there. She wished she knew what House's proposition was about, she wondered as she slipped on the white sweater and a pair of black jeans that were tucked away in the back of her locker. A ploy to help him manipulate someone, no doubt. But he did offer her dinner, so it had to be good and she had to admit having dinner with him wasn't a bad way to spend the evening. She stepped over to the sink to brush her teeth and touch up her makeup.

After resigning a little over eight months ago, she hadn't really let herself think about him much. It would have been so easy for her to let her thoughts travel down that road again, but she needed to move on and the only way to do that was to not think about him. However, it hadn't been so easy lately with him showing up in the ER more and more. Every time he showed up, her heart would start pounding hard against her chest and she would become distracted. It pissed her off that he still had that much of an affect on her.

She removed the barrette from her hair, letting the blonde curls fall to the middle of her back. She ran her fingers through it, deciding to leave it down; spritzed on some vanilla body spray and applied a little lip gloss for the final touch. She stepped back and looked at herself in the mirror. Not bad, she thought. She hoped she would be able to pull off the evening without revealing how nervous she was. She grabbed her purse and shut her locker door. As she was putting on her coat, she briefly thought about Chase. She had given him a call earlier to let him know she was going out to dinner with a friend but she didn't bother to let him know who the friend was and he hadn't asked. The last thing she wanted was a confrontation with him right now and he surely would have given her one had he known her dinner companion was House. They hadn't been getting along too well lately and she didn't want to add anything to that. She shook her head as she walked out the doors that led to freedom, pushing thoughts of Chase aside for now.

Once outside, she remembered that she had parked at the back of the parking lot and shivered as she made her way to her car, cursing herself for not parking closer. She was about to open her door when she thought she heard a noise in the trees behind her and spun around to see if anyone was there. A cold chill, not completely caused by the cold air, came over her and she quickly got in and started the engine, noticing that her windshield was iced over. Dammit! She said out loud. She didn't want to get back out and scrape her windows but she couldn't see. She dug through a pile of stuff on her back seat and found her little blue ice scraper. She jumped out and scraped just enough ice so she could see to drive to her destination, only three blocks away. She then quickly climbed back in, locked her doors and headed in the direction of the restaurant. It took a minute to shake the feeling that someone had been watching her.

**********

The man stood very still as Cameron's green eyes peered threw the darkness trying to see what or who had made the noise. The cool breeze had blown her perfume his way and he breathed her scent in deeply. It was all he could do to not let her know he was there, waiting for her. Instead, he stood very still behind the thick grove of trees that lined the backside of the parking lot and watched her in silence. The noise she heard was actually a raccoon that was muddling its way through the trees. He had been waiting for her for half an hour when she finally made her way out the doors. She was leaving later than normal tonight. Over the past few weeks, he had grown accustomed to her comings and goings and knew precisely what days or nights she worked and exactly when she would walk out the hospital doors to go home. He even knew that on Fridays she and her surgeon boyfriend would leave together. She was very predictable, he thought.

It amused him that she had no idea he even existed, except in passing and yet he already knew so much about her. Sometimes she would smile his way or say hello, causing his heart to stop. She was so beautiful. He wanted to tell her, but it wasn't time for that yet. He wasn't ready. He had more planning to do before they did meet, before he revealed his love to her. Everything had to be perfect. She deserved perfection.

As she drove away, he slowly stepped out of the darkness and walked over to his dark blue car and lit a cigarette. He was looking forward to going home to continue planning for when he and Dr. Allison Cameron would be together.


	7. Cameron arrives at restaurant

****************

**Chapter 7**

Cameron pulled into the parking lot of the restaurant ten minutes later and found a parking space close to the front. She sat in her car for a minute and took a couple of deep breaths, hoping to calm the fluttering in her stomach. She checked her lip gloss one more time in the mirror, turned off her car and quickly hurried inside. She stood inside the entrance and scanned the room for her dinner companion.

House had been keeping an eye on the entrance, when he wasn't checking his watch and saw Cameron the minute she walked in. He stood so she could see him. She gave him a little wave to let him know she saw him and immediately made her way across the room to his table.

She arrived at the table with a luring smile. "Hi." She said.

"Hi." He helped her with her black wool coat and quickly looked her over approvingly. "You look nice."

"Thanks." She said feeling the warmth of the fire. "The fire is nice. It's really cold outside." She sat down and saw the glass of wine. "What's this?" She asked.

"Thought a glass of wine would be nice after a day in the ER." "Thank you." She looked into his eyes and the memory of how breathtaking his steel blue eyes were washed over her.

House watched as she picked up her glass and took a sip, running her tongue over her lips, as she tasted the wine. He found himself mesmerized by such a small detail and realized he was holding his breath.

Cameron looked up at him with sparkling green eyes. "So, this place is nice. Do you come here often?""Once in awhile. The food is good." He answered as he looked into her eyes, admiring how they sparkled. "Are you hungry?" He asked hoping his voice didn't betray him and sound nervous.

"Very. I skipped lunch."

House picked up his menu and opened it.

Cameron did the same. She glanced at the menu for a few minutes and then placed it back on the table.

He eyed her over the top of his menu. "Already know what you're having?" He asked curiously.

"Yes. I believe I will have the salmon."

"Salmon? You should try their steaks."

She smiled. "You seem to have forgotten that I am a vegetarian. However, I do eat fish."

He had indeed forgotten that she was a vegetarian. "Why didn't you say anything?"

"And spoil your fun? You were willing to buy me a steak dinner. That's a pretty big deal. Besides, I love salmon, so no problem. What are you having?"

"I think I will have the large filet." He said and put his menu down also.

As they waited for the waiter they continued with small talk while they enjoyed their drinks. The waiter quickly took their order, leaving behind some hot rye bread with butter for them to nibble on. It didn't take long for both of them to indulge in the bread.

After several bites of bread, Cameron put her wineglass down and looked seriously at House. "Okay. Before I consume any more alcohol, what is this proposition you have for me?"

House sighed. He had hoped for a little more time before he revealed what was on his mind. He took another sip of his drink and noticed how she was watching him, not taking her eyes from his face.

Cameron waited patiently, remembering how he could be. He wasn't going to say anything until he was good and ready. She tried not to appear too anxious.

"Do you like working in the ER?" He finally asked.

She furrowed her brow and answered. "It's okay. It has its good points." She took another sip of her wine and tried to drink it slowly. "Is this why Kutner came to see me today?" Again she questioned him.

"I told you, I didn't send him to spy, really." He was amused at her continuous doubt. "Remember when you gave me your resignation letter?" He paused.

She nodded her head. "Yes." She thought briefly about how painful it was for her to hand him that letter and wondered if he ever read it. If she knew House, he probably shoved it into a drawer somewhere, unopened, not wanting to read what she had to say.

"You said that you had gotten all you could from your job. Did you mean that?" He watched her face carefully as he tried to anticipate how she would respond.

She shifted in her chair and looked at him curiously. "I did at the time." Her words came out softly but steady.

"What does that mean?" He asked curiously.

She took a deep breath as she eyed him nervously. "Truth?"

"Of course." He answered without hesitation.

Cameron took another sip of her wine and let the liquid linger in her mouth a few seconds before answering. "You had changed. You acted like we, meaning me, Chase and Foreman, bored you. You acted like you didn't want us around any more. It also seemed that you had become disinterested with the cases." She stopped for a moment trying to collect her thoughts before she continued. "First Foreman quits, then you fire Chase. Just like that, they were gone and you didn't seem to care. I didn't want to stick around to catch all the crap that was going to be rolling down hill."

"So you bailed?" He asked as he tried to let her words sink in.

She gave him a smirk. "I took the opportunity to move on."

He took the last sip of his drink and motioned for the waiter to come over. "Another round." He said.

Cameron moved a strand of hair that had fallen across her face. House watched and thought how sexy she had looked with it hanging down in her face. He shook the thought from his head.

"You didn't go too far." He continued.

"I was planning on leaving the state until Lisa called." She defended her actions.

"And you thought accepting a position to run the ER was moving on?"

They both paused when the waiter returned with their drinks.

Cameron pulled the new glass towards her and placed her hand around the stem of the glass and ran her finger of her other hand around the rim. She looked back up at him. She knew he was waiting for her to answer. "As demeaning as you may think it is, I don't think running the ER is a step backwards. I'm just doing something different, which in a way, has been refreshing."

"It certainly wasn't a step forward no matter how good you are at running that place. It only makes Cuddy look good." He stated and took a sip of his fresh drink.

For the first time tonight, Cameron looked away from his stare.

"So, were you lying when you said you had gotten all you could from the job?" He asked, watching her closely.

"No." She answered without hesitation. "When I said that to you, I completely believed that. I felt I was at a dead end. Besides, I figured it was only a matter of time before you would find a way to get rid of me too."

"I wouldn't have fired you." He was actually shocked she had thought that.

"Are you sure about that? Because I'm not. You had a lot going on in your life at the time and you acted like you wanted a change. I wasn't too sure I fit in the scenario any more."

"Why didn't you say something instead of quitting?"

"I took it as a sign to move on."

The waiter walked over with their food and placed it in front of them. The sight and the smell of the food took their thoughts away from the conversation for a moment.

House spoke first. "This looks good." He said as he cut a bite of his steak and put it into his mouth. "I can't believe you don't like steak. You don't know what you're missing.

Cameron laughed a little. "Yes I do. That's why I ordered the salmon." She also took a bite of the salmon that was cooked to perfection. "Mmm. This is delicious. You should try a bite." She insisted, holding her fork out to him with a bite of salmon on it.

He stared at her fork for a second, surprised. For the second time today, she had surprised him with her actions. He carefully leaned over and took her fork into his mouth, taking the bite of fish she offered. He slowly chewed the fish that seemed to melt into his mouth. He nodded in approval that he liked it and Cameron smiled a pleasing smile.

House was pleased also that she was enjoying her food. They ate in silence for a few more minutes before either of them spoke again.

After a few bites Cameron decided she needed to know what he was up to. She looked up at him again.

Without looking up, he could feel her eyes upon him.

"What does any of this have to do with your proposition?" She asked.

House took a couple of minutes and chewed his steak slowly, savoring the taste. He let out a long sigh. He looked into her green eyes again and spoke. "I asked you here tonight to offer you a job." He said, hoping she didn't read anything else into his offer.

Cameron was not sure if she had heard him correctly. She swallowed her food and laid her fork down, looking at him with raised eyebrows. "You're offering me a job?"

House looked up at her, still chewing. "Uh uh."

She leaned back in her chair. "Of all the things I imagined your proposition could be, asking me to come back, was not one of them. Wow. Why?"

He saw that she wasn't eating, thinking about how she needed to eat. "Eat before your food gets cold."

She picked up her fork again and moved the food around on her plate not really caring about her appetite any more.

"Two reasons. First, because I need you. I mean, I need your help."

"With what? You have three new people.""Ah, there in lies my problem. They don't make my job fun. They don't inspire me." He spoke in between bites.

"So you are asking me back to help inspire you?" She said as she tried to understand what he was saying to her.

"To help them inspire me. You know how I work. I feed off their ideas. If they don't argue and throw out different ideas at me, I don't have anything to feed off of. I don't have anything to work with."

"And you think I can show them how to do that?" She asked cautiously.

"Yes. I like the fact that you don't back down and what I admire most is that you're not afraid to tell me when you think I'm wrong."

Cameron couldn't help but smile. "Are you admitting that you miss me?"

House couldn't suppress a smile. "You would like that wouldn't you? Maybe I miss you a little. What I do miss is how you, Foreman and Chase worked with me. There were times the three of you would drive me insane with your bickering but it inspired me. It made me think. I can say the most ridiculous things to these guys and they buy it. They never question me because they are too scared of being fired. I can't work that way. I need more from them and they don't seem to get that." He reluctantly admitted.

Cameron let his words sink in. "You have Foreman. Why do you need me?"

"Foreman is only there because he couldn't get a job any where else and he's Cuddy's spy. He's not there to help me."

"Really. What I heard was he couldn't get a job any where else because someone kept sabotaging his interviews."

House rolled his eyes. "That's not my problem."

"Of course not." She said sarcastically. She eyed him for a minute before continuing.. "You said there were two reasons you were offering me a job. What's the second?" She asked as she took another bite of her fish.

"To save you." He said as he intently looked at her.

"Excuse me?" She asked with raised eyebrows.

"No matter what bullsh!t you try to feed me or anyone else, you can't tell me you are happy working in the ER." He swallowed a bite of food. "Sure, it'll give you what you need for a while because you have been telling yourself that it's all you need. But eventually, you will want more. You came to work for me because you like to be challenged. The ER isn't a challenge for you. The cases we have are like a drug and once that drug is in your system, you can't ignore it, not until you find something that beats it and that's hard to do. Besides, I had a little help in making you who you are and I don't like seeing it go to waste on something like bandaging boo boo's in the ER." House finished eating and pushed his plate away.

"I like what I'm doing." She said, trying to convince stared at her without any emotion displayed on his face. "I don't believe you. Eventually the ER is going to bore you to tears, if it hasn't already. I also believe you took this job instead of the one at UW Medical because you know Plainsboro still has something to offer you and it's not in the ER."

She looked at him shocked. "You know about the job offer from UW?"

"I have spies everywhere." He said with a smirk.

Cameron sat in silence for a minute trying to let all he said soak into her head. It was almost too much to comprehend in such a short time.

House watched her and tried to read her thoughts. Her silence put him on the defensive. "If you don't want the job, just say so and I'll leave you alone."

She narrowed her eyes at him. "You're doing what you always do." She softly scolded him.

"Doing what?" He asked curiously.

"Dismissing me because you are impatient. If it's that easy for you, why offer me the job at all?" She said a little defensively.

"And you like making things hard." He reminded her.

She ignored his remark and continued. "I didn't say I didn't want the job. I'm just trying to let this all sink in." She took a sip of wine and pushed her plate away, not finishing her food. "What would my position be? I mean, I've finished my internship and you already have Foreman." She looked at him questioningly.

"I've given that some thought." He said admiring that she expected more. "You would be more like my protégé, a teacher."

She looked at him. "And Cuddy is going to go for this?" She asked in a skeptical tone.

"I spoke with Cuddy and she said if you accepted, she would make it happen."

Cameron let out a small sigh. "Can I have a day to think about it? I want to make sure I make the decision for the right reasons. After I left, I really never thought I would be working with you again."

"The right reasons? And what are the right reasons?" He carefully asked.

Cameron blushed slightly. "I want to make sure I give you an answer that comes from my head and not my heart." She said not wanting to elaborate more. "Can I give you an answer by the end of day tomorrow?"

He couldn't help wonder if she still had feelings for him. "I suppose I can give you a day to think about it." He gave her a serious look. "Do you need to discuss this with Chase." He asked knowing they were still seeing one another.

Cameron looked away, pausing for a minute. "No." She decided to not say any more on the subject.

He watched her face take on a different look. "Really. That's interesting." He said, hoping she would say more but when she didn't, he thought it best to drop the subject… for now. "So, how about some dessert? They have a killer chocolate cake."

Cameron stared at him. It was so like him to just abruptly change the subject to another one. "I'm really stuffed."

He looked at her plate and saw that only half of her food was eaten. "You barely ate anything. C'mon share a piece of cake with me." He whined.

She saw the look on his face and laughed. "Okay, I'll share a piece."

He ordered the cake and another scotch. He laughed at Cameron's expression when the waiter brought the huge piece of chocolate cake out and sat it down between them.

They continued with light conversation, mainly catching up on the latest gossip going around the hospital.

House is surprised at how comfortable he felt with her. He was actually enjoying the evening and a little disappointed when it came to an end.

As promised, he paid the tab and helped her with her coat and then put on his. They walked to the front of the restaurant and looked outside, it was snowing harder than when they first arrived.

"Sh!t." He said under his breath.

"What?" She asked looking at him. She looked out the window and guessed what had him agitated. "You rode your bike, didn't you?"

"Yep."

"I'll give you a ride."

"I don't want to leave my bike here."

"Then I will follow you to make sure you make it home okay."

"Great and you can watch when I wreck and kiss the pavement."

"Well, at least you'll have a doctor at the scene." She teased.

"Funny. I don't need you to follow me." He insisted.

She wanted to insist on following but didn't want him to take it the wrong way. So, she dropped it.

"Fine." She said in a teasing voice. "But, you probably should get a ride in tomorrow. The roads are going to be bad." She managed to say without sounding too caring.

"I'll keep that in mind."

Just as they were both about to walk out, the red headed hostess approached House and placed a folded slip of paper in his hand. She then leaned in, ignoring Cameron and whispered something in his ear. House couldn't suppress the evil grin that crossed his lips.

Cameron watched with her mouth open as the woman blatantly ignored her and made a play for House right in front of her. She so wanted to snatch the piece of paper from House's hand and read it but she knew that would be stepping over the line.

The woman walked away and gave House one more look over her shoulder before she disappeared into the adjoining room.

House unfolded the piece of paper and saw that she had written her name, Angela and a phone number. He smiled again and looked up at Cameron who still had her mouth open. "Close your mouth."

"Did that woman just give you her phone number right in front of me?" She asked.

"What? We aren't a couple." He said trying to defend her actions.

"Yeah but she doesn't know that."

"Can I help it that I'm so irresistible?"

Cameron rolled her eyes. "Unbelievable. Are you ready Romeo? Or are you going to wait for Juliet to get off from work?" She asked as she started walking towards the door.

"I said I'm irresistible, not easy." He said and followed her outside.

Once outside, she turned towards him. "Thanks for dinner. It was nice." She smiled.

"You're welcome."

"I suppose I will be talking to you tomorrow." She said and started walking backwards to her car, which was parked several spaces from his bike.

"Tomorrow. Drive safely." He said seriously.

"I will. You too."

When she made it to her car, she saw the little patch she had cleared on her windshield had iced over while she was inside. She started her car and again, grabbed the little blue ice scraper and attempted to scrape the ice once more. A few seconds later, she heard House pull up beside her and get off his bike.

"Get in. I'll finish." He said.

Cameron was clearly surprised. "It's okay. You don't have to." She said, squinting her eyes as the snow hit her face.

He looked at her face getting wet from the snowflakes and had a sudden urge to reach up and touch her face but resisted the urge. Instead, he took the scrapper from her. "Get in and get warm." He insisted and finished cleaning her windows for her. He tossed her the scrapper a few seconds later and told her good night.

He followed her out of the parking lot to the red light. He turned one direction and she the opposite, both heading home for the evening.

**********

House made it home in one piece and walked into his dark condo, not bothering to turn on any lights as he entered. The snow cast enough light into the room that he was able to make his way around the room without any lights. He immediately walked over to his piano and picked up the partially lit cigar and lit it. He continued to watch the snow as it quickly blanketed the streets. He breathed in deeply as thoughts of the evening began to slowly invade his head. He had forgotten how comfortable it was to be with Cameron. Sitting with her tonight had made him realize how much he had missed being around her. How much he had missed hearing her voice, her laugh and how she smelled. She always smelled like lilacs and vanilla. A smile came to his lips as he thought about how attractive she had looked tonight, with her sparkling green eyes and her blonde hair falling across her shoulders. Being with her again had stirred feelings inside of him. Feelings he didn't expect or wanted to address at the moment. He hoped asking her back wasn't going to be a mistake. It had been damn near impossible for him to resist her in those three years she had worked for him and he was asking her to be by his side again. He shook his head. He didn't know if he was an idiot or a genius. Then again, he never liked to do things the easy way.

After taking a few puffs of the cigar, he put it out and decided he needed sleep. As he started to limp across the room he glanced at his bookshelves and eyed the gray covered book, high on the top shelf. He thought about the unopened envelope that he knew was safely hidden between the worn pages. Many times he thought about that letter and the words that it held, words meant only for him but still remained a mystery. Someday, he thought, but not tonight. He continued down the hall when a little smile crossed his mouth as he thought about the possibilities.


	8. Cameron tell Chase about House

****************

**Chapter 8**

Cameron was fifteen minutes late getting to the hospital due to the icy and snow packed streets. When she walked into the ER, she was hit in the face with complete chaos. There had been a twenty car pile up on the Interstate and most of the injured had been brought into Plainsboro. She rushed to the locker room and quickly changed into her scrubs and briefly thought about House riding his bike in today. Surely he wouldn't be so stupid? She thought knowing how stubborn he could be. She immediately pushed thoughts of House out of her head and made her way out into the busy ER and went straight to work. It was almost eleven before she and everyone else finally had a chance to slow down.

She stood in the hall and stretched her arms above her head, then reached around and rubbed the already tired muscles in her neck. What I need is a cup of coffee and to talk to Chase, she decided. She wasn't looking forward to telling Chase that House had offered her a job and that she was actually considering accepting his offer. She knew he had an early morning surgery and should be out by now. She walked over to the counter where Dr. Mark Brice, the new attending in the ER, was standing.

"Hey, do you mind if I disappear for half an hour? I need to take care of something." She asked in a tired voice.

"What you're really going to do is sneak off to the coffee bar on the second floor and get a latte."

Cameron smiled. "Is that your subtle way of saying if I bribe you with a latte you won't mind covering for me?"

Dr. Brice didn't look up from the file he was holding. "I like how you think Dr. Cameron. A latte with an extra shot would be wonderful."

Cameron laughed. "I shall return with latte in hand."

"Don't forget the double shot." He called out.

"Yeah, yeah." She said waving her hand above her head as she walked away.

She briskly took the stairs to sixth floor and first stuck her head into the doctor's lounge to see if Chase was by chance in there, not seeing him, she assumed he would be in his office and headed in that direction.

A few steps from his door, Cameron could hear someone talking in a low voice. She peaked around the door to find Chase leaning against the front of his desk talking on his cell phone. She saw that she startled him when she walked in and instantly noticed how his demeanor changed. He quickly hung up causing her to wonder who he had been talking to.

"Hey." He said a little uneasy.

"Hey yourself. Who was that?" She curiously asked.

Chase glanced at the phone he was holding in his hand. "Oh, that was Danny Larson. He just wanted to know if I wanted to meet him for a beer later."

"Oh." She said, not sure she believed him.

Chase hoped his answer was convincing. "So, this is a surprise, you popping in." He put a forced smile on his face.

"Well, since we didn't see one another last night, I thought I would stop by to see how your morning is going." She said as she walked towards him and was about to place her arms around his neck when he suddenly moved away from her.

"Want a cup of coffee? It's fresh." He said ignoring the startled look on her face.

"Sure." She said stunned. She eyed him for a minute before continuing. "How did your surgery go?""Uhhh, it was rescheduled for this afternoon." He said hesitantly."Oh. When did you get in?" She asked surprised.

"About an hour ago." He said, hoping she wouldn't ask any more questions. He handed her a cup of coffee… black.

Cameron looked at her cup and didn't say anything. It annoyed her that after all the time they had been together, he never remembered how she took her coffee or didn't care. She sat her cup down and added a little cream to the black coffee inside it.

Chase sat down in the chair behind his small desk. "So, heard the ER was a mad house this morning."

"Yes it was." She said softly and moved towards him again. She couldn't shake the weird feeling that had come over her since she had walked into the room. She sat her coffee down on his desk and proceeded to lean over and give him a kiss. She barely had her mouth to his when he turned his head away. Again she was taken back with his actions.

"I told you Allison, not here." He said more harshly than he meant to.

"Okay. Sorry." She said, clearly offended and stepped back.

He saw the hurt look on her face and tried to soften his actions by reaching out and taking her hand. "I just never know who is going to walk in."

"I'm sure getting caught kissing or hugging your girlfriend wouldn't be grounds for dismissal."

He gave her a smirk and let go of her hand. "So, how was your dinner last night?" He asked, changing the subject.

"It was good. Definitely interesting." She began to chew on her bottom lip and moved around to the front of his desk so she could look at him straight in the face. "That's the other reason I stopped by." She wasn't so sure telling him about House now was a good idea.

Chase stared at her with a blank stare. "Okay." He shrugged slightly.

Cameron took a deep breath. "I had dinner with House last night." She blurted out and instantly saw the anger that clouded his eyes. Before he could say anything, she continued. "And it would seem he has offered me my job back. Well, not the same job but a job, nevertheless." She watched him carefully, waiting for him to say something.

Chase let the words sink in for a minute before responding. "This is absolutely amazing." He said sarcastically. "Why didn't you tell me you were meeting House?" He managed to ask in a calm voice.

"Because I didn't want a confrontation with you." She said honestly.

"Really. And you expect me to believe that?" He said coldly in his arrogant Aussie accent.

Cameron narrowed her eyes at him. "Yes. What other reason would I have?"

"Oh, I don't know. I can think of a couple." He said in a cocky tone.

Cameron chose to ignore the accusation. "House came to me yesterday afternoon in the ER and said he had a proposition he wanted to run by me and the proposition was to offer me a job." Her tone dared him to question her motives again.

He recognized the tone but he didn't care. He took a sip of his coffee. "And why would he, out of the blue, be offering you a job Allison?"

"He's having some problems with the new team and he thinks I can help." She stood in a defensive stance and glared at him.

Chase rolled his eyes. "And you believe him?"

"Yes. Is it hard to believe that he would want my help?" She again spoke in a defensive tone.

"What I think is it's typical of man who still wants to have control over you."

"House has never had control over me Chase." She said in a stern voice.

Chase watched her for a minute and knew that look she had in her eyes. It was a look of determination. "You can't seriously be considering this?"

Cameron swallowed the lump that had developed in her throat. She was nervous but held her ground. "Yes I am but I wasn't just going to say yes without talking to you first."

"Like what I thought would matter?" He snapped.

"Of course what you think matters." She said trying to convince him of her sincerity.

Chase stood not hiding his anger. "Give me a break Allison. When it comes to House nothing else matters to you."

"Don't start this Chase. You know House and I have never been anything but colleagues and perhaps friends."

"I know that is what you want me to believe. However, the air between you two has always indicated otherwise, even now and I'm not the only one who has noticed that."

"I have always been truthful with you Chase."

"I'm just wondering if you have always told me the whole truth." He continued to talk to her in a cold manner.

Cameron walked towards him hoping he would calm down and be reasonable about the situation. "Why are you doing this? You and I have been together almost a year now. I thought we had put all this stuff with House behind us? Why bring it all up again?" She asked seriously.

He looked away from her intent stare. "Just because I haven't talked about it doesn't mean it's not in my head. You were in love with him Allison. Maybe you still are."

"I wasn't in love with him." She said not so convincing.

Chase gave her a hard smirk.

Silence filled the room for a very long minute. He looked at her and saw that she was looking out the window with her serious green eyes. The same green eyes he had fallen head over hills for the first time he met her. She was as beautiful now as she was then.

Cameron saw that he was watching her and took the opportunity to move closer. When he didn't move, she placed her arms around his waist. She laid her head on his chest, something she had done many times. "Please don't be angry about House." She said softly. "You know I have been unsettled in the ER and we both knew that when I accepted the job it was only going to be until something else presented itself."

Hearing her say this only brought his anger to the surface again as he listened to her try and explain why she was considering House's offer. He pulled away from her.

Cameron closed her eyes and let out a long sigh. This definitely wasn't going the way she had hoped.

"Nothing you say is going to make me feel good about you working for House, Allison. He has always been a problem for us."

Cameron was becoming angry. "No, Chase. He's a problem for you because you have it in your head that there was… is something between House and me and you can't let it go. Yes, I had feelings for him but he never had feelings for me. When I resigned that night, I made the decision to completely let everything I felt for him, go. I thought I made that clear when I came to you that night."

"Exactly. You only came to me that night because you finally realized you would never have House not because you wanted me."

"I didn't go to you that night because House didn't want me. I came to you because I didn't want him any more. I wanted you. I wanted to try and make things work with you. Haven't I proven that over the past eight months?" She looked at him with pleading eyes.

"I just find it hard to accept Allison when I see how you look at him still or how he watches you walk down the hall or how he is all of sudden hanging out in the ER. I wasn't born yesterday."

"This is ridiculous! '..House. When are you going to get that through your thick Australian skull?" She turned away from him and let out a loud sigh. She didn't want him to see the tears that were building up in her eyes.

Chase stared at the floor. "I don't want you to work for him again Allison." He said in a stern voice.

"Are you asking or telling me?" She asked quietly.

"Neither but you know where I stand on this issue. I have to get ready for surgery." He said and moved past her and walked towards the door.

"Can we talk about this later?" She asked as a tear slid down her cheek. She quickly wiped it away.

Chase stopped and slowly turned around. "Why? I think we both know what you're decision is going to be. I have to go." It was all he said as he left her standing in his office… alone.

She watched him walk out the door and suddenly felt very empty. When she came up here to talk to him, all she wanted to do was to be near him, for him to hold her and tell him about her news. It was good news or so she thought and she wanted him to be happy for her. She didn't expect him to be so upset. She closed her eyes and held back the emotion she felt rising in her throat. Now was not the time to cry. She sat her cup down on the counter, not taking a sip of the coffee that filled it. She took a couple of deep breaths and managed to put a smile on her face that hid so much, a trait she was getting good at and headed to the coffee bar on the second floor to retrieve the latte she promised.


	9. Cuddy talks to House

****************

**Chapter 9**

House's morning didn't begin well. It all started with waking up to no heat in his condo. It would seem that his heater was not working and his leg did not take well to the cold. Then, the cab he called was over an hour late picking him up. He should have just rode his bike in and not listened to Cameron. She wasn't working for him yet and she was already telling him what to do. When he did finally make it into the hospital he thought he would chat with Wilson before Cuddy found him. Only, Wilson was still miffed about him not sharing his Cameron plan with him and wouldn't talk to him. So, he still hadn't had his Wilson fix and it was almost lunchtime. Needless to say, he wasn't in the best of moods. And now, he could hear the familiar click clacking sound of Lisa Cuddy's shoes quickly approaching his office. _Just what I need_, he thought and waited for his door to open.

He heard the clicking of the shoes come to a stop and without looking up, he could hear her open his door and walk in. He didn't look up until he heard her clear her throat to let him know she was there.

When he did look up, he slowly moved his eyes over her slender body. She was wearing a tight gray skirt, tailored fit and a black sweater cut low, showing just enough of her breasts to make him want to see more. He always wanted to see more and he knew she enjoyed that.

Cuddy moved towards him, not missing how he was looking at her. "Did you speak with Cameron?"

"Yes but she hasn't given me an answer yet." He said still watching her as she moved closer to his desk. _She has great legs_, he thought.

"Good girl. I'm glad she didn't give you an answer right away."

"You would." He snarked.

"So what do you anticipate her answer to be?" She said as she now stood in front of his desk and picked up the black pen lying on a stack of papers.

He watched her twirl the pen through her fingers. "I anticipate it will be yes but not without a price."

"What do you mean?" She asked curiously and laid the pen down and placed her hands on his desk and leaned forward slightly.

He leaned back in his chair trying to resist the urge to look down her sweater. He didn't want to give her the pleasure of looking. "I'm expecting one of Cameron's famous speeches before she accepts my offer." "Why do you say that?"

"Because it's Cameron. What are you doing?"

"Asking about Cameron." She said simply and stood up.

House stared intently at her. "You want something else."

She smiled. "No. Just checking to see if Cameron had given you an answer." She turned and started walking towards the door. "You know, this is putting me in a bind. Cameron isn't going to be easy to replace. She is very good at her job." She said, stopping at the door.

"You have been taking advantage of her talent and you know it."

Cuddy looked shocked. "I have not been taking advantage of her. She had a choice House."

"She is more than qualified for that job. You should have offered her more." He stated.

"At least I convinced her to come back to Plainsboro." She said in her defense. She paused. "I'm curious about something."

"What?"

"Is there another reason why you have asked Cameron back?" She watched him carefully.

House rubbed his chin. "Would it matter if there was?" He asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. I'm just curious." She gave him a smile and walked out.

He continued to sit at his desk and wondered what Cuddy's little visit was really about.


	10. Cuddy and Christy

****************

**Chapter 10**

Lisa was sitting at her desk deep in thought when a small tap on her door startled her, taking her away from her thoughts. She looked up to find Christy, her new assistant, poking her head around the door.

"Dr. Cuddy?"

"Yes Christy, come in." Lisa motioned for her to enter.

"I'm sorry to bother you. I was wondering if I could leave around three tomorrow. I forgot about an appointment I have."

Lisa stifled a yawn. "Hmmm. That should be okay. I don't believe I have anything pressing at that time, do I?"

"No. You have two appointments in the morning but your afternoon is free."

Lisa gave her a fleeting smile. She had other things on her mind at the moment. "That should be fine."

"Thank you." Christy started to leave but instead decided to take the opportunity to ask the question that had been occupying her head all morning.

Lisa looked up to see Christy still standing in front of her desk. "Is there something else?" She asked, somewhat annoyed that she was being interrupted again.

Christy cleared her throat. "How well do you know Dr. House?"

The question surprised Lisa. "We have known each other for awhile. Why do you ask?"

Christy moved closer to Lisa's desk. She couldn't suppress the little smile that crossed her lips. "I was just wondering… what his story is."

This question surprised Lisa even more. "His story?"

"Well, I know he isn't married. Is he seeing someone? You two seem close."

Lisa sat back and eyed her assistant for a minute, wondering what was going through her young, naive mind. "Are you asking me about Dr. House because you are interested in him?"

Christy smiled. "I suppose I am."

A small smile escaped Lisa. "It doesn't bother you that he is more than twice your age?"

"Age has never bothered me. I prefer it in a man, actually. As a matter of fact, I have had several relationships with older men." Christy said with pride.

Lisa sat forward in an authoritative manner. "Dr. House is a very complicated man and I'm not sure he is someone you really want to get tangled up with."

"So, he isn't seeing anyone?" Christy asked again, choosing to ignore Lisa's warning.

"It is not my place to discuss Dr. House's personal issues with you, Christy. That would be a question you would need to ask him. However, he is considered one of the hospital's prime doctors and I'm not sure the board would appreciate a young member of the staff chasing after him."

"So, what you are really saying, is to stay away from him." Christy said in a cunning tone.

Lisa gave her a little smirk. "No. That is not what I am saying." Lisa shifted in her chair, definitely not liking the conversation. "I can't tell you who you can or can not see or talk to Christy. You asked me a question and I gave you an answer."

"With all do respect Dr. Cuddy, it sounds like you are warning me to stay away from Dr. House." She paused. "I'm not wanting to marry him. I just find him interesting and I didn't want to step on any toes if he was involved with someone."

Cuddy tapped her fingers on her desk, giving Christy a wry smile at her frankness. "You should know that I don't encourage my doctors to get involved with the staff."

"But there aren't any rules saying I can't?"

"No. There should be but there isn't." Lisa said sternly and began to shuffle through some paperwork on her desk, letting Christy know she was ready for this particular conversation to end.

Christy didn't miss the tone and understood that she was being dismissed. "Thank you again for allowing me to leave early tomorrow."

"You're welcome." Lisa paused. "Christy."

"Yes?"

"I suggest that you tread water lightly on this issue." Lisa said, not looking up.

Christy only smiled and gently closed the door behind her. She walked to her desk and sat down. She still wasn't sure what the relationship was between Lisa Cuddy and Dr. House but she knew she had hit a nerve with the questions she had asked. If her boss was involved with Dr. House, achieving his full attention wasn't going to be easy but it would definitely make the situation more interesting.

Lisa waited until Christy had closed her door before she turned to stare out the large window behind her desk. Clouds were beginning to move in from the north, showing promise of more snow. She sighed heavily. The weather fit her mood.

She was somewhat concerned with Christy and would have to keep a close eye on the situation. The last thing House needed was another obsessed girl chasing after him and she didn't need it either. She had placed her job on the line too many times for him already. However, Christy's interest in House wasn't what was really bothering her at the moment. It was her own feelings for House and why all of a sudden they were surfacing. She wasn't even sure if what she was feeling was genuine or just a deep need to be in a relationship with someone. And of course, she wasn't sure what his feelings were for her. They had played the cat and mouse game for years. However lately, he had been showing more interest in her. Perhaps picking up on that is what has brought her feelings to the surface again. Whatever was going on between them, it was screwing with her head and her ability to function around him. And now there was the issue of Cameron. It had completely taken her by surprise when he asked if he could hire her back. Lisa had to wonder if pushing Cameron away all this time was just his way of not dealing with his feelings for her, which would be so like him. Wilson had always said that he believed House felt more for Cameron than he let on.

She stood and glanced at her watch. Her mood wasn't any better. If anything, she felt worse. She shook her head. "This is crazy!" She said out loud and opened her door and quickly left her office, ignoring the curious stare from Christy.


	11. Cameron asks Wilson for advice

****************

**Chapter 11**

Cameron had finally caught up on her paperwork, which was a miracle considering how busy the ER had been. It was almost three now and a cup of coffee sounded really good so she decided to take a break, since she missed lunch and venture up to the coffee bar for a latte.

A short time later, she took her vanilla latte and strolled out onto the balcony and enjoyed the cool air as it rushed through her hair and cooled her warm skin. She closed her eyes and breathed in several deep breaths. Her answer to House was weighing heavy on her mind. She was torn between Chase and House. She took a sip of her coffee and as simple as turning on a light, she suddenly knew who she needed to talk to about her dilemma. She walked back into the hospital and headed towards the one person who would listen and not judge her. Cameron carefully stepped out onto the fourth floor and looked around to make sure there were not any of the usual suspects in the immediate area. She quietly passed House's office and knocked on Wilson's door and waited. She was just about to leave when a surprised Wilson opened his door.

"Allison. Come in. Sorry, I was on the phone."

Before Wilson closed the door, he stuck his head in the hallway to make sure House wasn't lurking in the shadows.

Cameron sat on the leather sofa, deciding the chairs in front of his desk were too formal.

Wilson closed the door and turned his attention to Cameron. He could tell by the look on her face that something was bothering her. "You look like a lady that has something on her mind." He said as he sat down next to her.

She gave him a warm smile. "I hope I'm not bothering you. I really need someone to talk to."

"You know you can always come to me." He said and waited patiently for her to explain why she was there, although, he had a pretty good idea why.

Cameron looked down and stared at her hands for a minute before she began to talk. "Did you know that House offered me a job?"

"I know something about it. We are having a little tiff right now and he hasn't told me everything yet."

Cameron looked up at him. "A tiff?" She couldn't help but laugh a little.

"You know how House can be." Wilson said mildly embarrassed.

"Yes I do."

"Have you given him an answer?" He asked. "Not yet."

Wilson watched as she struggled with her words. He took her hand into his. "Talk to me. What's wrong?"

She let out a heavy sigh. "Chase. He doesn't want me to accept House's offer. He's very upset over it."

"How upset?"

"Enough that I'm afraid it might cause us to break up."

Wilson is somewhat surprised. "Really? That doesn't sound like Chase."

"It doesn't sound like the Chase he wants you to see and know. Behind closed doors, he remains to be very jealous of House and he still hasn't recovered from being fired."

"Okay, but surely he wouldn't break up with you if you accepted House's offer. Maybe he just needs to let the idea sink in awhile before he comes around." Wilson tried to ease her mind.

"I don't think so. He was pretty adamant about not wanting me to take the job when I told him this morning."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"That's my problem. I don't know what to do."

"And you want me to tell you what to do?"

"Something like that." Cameron gave him a half smile.

"You know I can't do that." Wilson said softly. "You need to decide if accepting House's offer is worth the possibility of losing Chase."

"I know." She said barely above a whisper.

Wilson could hear the emotion in her voice.

"I don't want to lose Chase but you know I believe everything happens for a reason. I don't want to pass up this chance to work in diagnostics again. Chase thinks the only reason I would be going back is because I still have feelings for House." She blushed slightly.

"And would that be the reason?"

"No. I really want this James and as far as having feelings for House, I don't. Not any more."

"You do understand why Chase is having a problem?" Wilson asked cautiously.

"Yes and I'm not trying to be insensitive about that."

Wilson watched her for a minute. "However, on the flip side, he should trust you and try to understand why you would want this. He should support your decision even if it's not what he wants."

"And if he doesn't support me?" She asked.

"Then you have to accept the consequences."

"That's some pretty sucky advice."

They both laughed.

Cameron pulled her hand free of his and brushed a strand of hair from her face. "Do you remember when you and I had dinner a couple of weeks ago and I told you that I thought something was going on with him?" "I remember."

"I still can't shake the feeling that he's hiding something from me." Cameron looked away for a second.

"And what would he be hiding?"

Cameron shook her head. "I don't know. I'm probably just imagining things."

"I don't know about that. A woman's intuition is usually right on. I speak from personal experience."

Cameron started biting her bottom lip. "Maybe you're right. Maybe he just needs to let this whole thing sink in for a while." She said trying to convince herself.

Wilson could tell she was really struggling with her decision. "Allison, you are an excellent doctor and have worked very hard to get where you are. To have been accepted into House's department the first time wasn't easy and for House to personally ask you back for a second time, means he really believes you have something to offer. House may be House, but we both know he's a brilliant doctor and he wouldn't just ask anyone to work with him. I know for a fact, that you have always impressed him as a doctor and as a person. You deserve to have good things in your life."

Cameron smiled at Wilson's kind words. "Thank you James." She leaned over and gave him a little kiss on the cheek. "I really needed to hear that."

"I'm afraid I haven't helped you much." He said, feeling a little guilty for not saying more.

"Yes you have. You listened." She gave him a reassuring smile.

"You know I'm always here if you need me."

"I know." She stood up to leave. "Thanks again James."

"Bye Allison."

"Bye."

Cameron headed back to the ER and was glad she made the decision to talk to Wilson. For the first time since House offered her the job, she felt relieved and at peace and knew what her decision should be. She glanced at her watch and was suddenly excited about meeting House.


	12. Cameron accepts job

****************

**Chapter 12**

Cameron managed to walk out of the ER a little after five and stepped outside into the cool damp air to give Chase a call. She wanted to try and talk to him one more time before she gave House her decision. She stood off to the side where she would have some privacy and hit the button that dialed Chase's number. After the fourth ring, he answered.

"Yeah?" He said in a short tone.

Cameron could tell by his tone that he was still angry. She took a deep breath. "Hey. I wanted to talk to you before I went to see House."

"Why?" He asked coldly.

"Because I want you to understand why I am doing this Chase and it's not because I want to be with House. I want to be with you. However, I want to work in diagnostics again. Can't you understand that?" She pleaded.

"So, you're accepting his offer?"

"Yes."

"You are only fooling yourself Allison. House is poison and he's going to kill us."

"Don't say that. Can we have dinner together and talk about this?"

"I made other plans. I figured you would be celebrating with House and too busy for me, so I made my own plans."

His self-pity angered her. "You are an ass Chase. I wasn't planning on celebrating with House. I was hoping to spend the evening with you."

"I really find that hard to believe. I need to go. You enjoy yourself with House."

Before Cameron could say anything else, she heard a click on the other end.

Great, she said softly and put her phone back into her pocket. She continued to stand outside for a minute, trying to clear her head before heading to House's office

Just a short distance from where she was standing, Cameron had no idea that a pair of dark eyes were watching her every move.

**********

House looked at his watch. He hadn't heard a word from Cameron yet and his patience was growing thin even though he knew her shift had only ended fifteen minutes ago. He picked up a file and tried to focus on its contents hoping it would keep his mind off the clock. After a few minutes, he tossed it on his desk and picked up the gold slinky and started paying with it. _Where the hell is she?_ He wondered.

Cameron approached House's office quietly, stopping a few feet away from his door and leaned against the wall to catch her breath. Her heart was racing. She hated that she was so nervous. After collecting her thoughts for a couple of minutes she proceeded to his door and paused again. _It's now or never, _she said under her breath and reached up and tapped softly on the glass door.

House barely heard the soft knock and quickly picked up the file he had tossed on his desk only a few minutes ago and pretended to read the documents inside. Before he could say anything, Cameron opened the door and peaked in.

"Is this a good time?" She asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"Yeah, come in." He tossed the file on his desk, once again.

He watched her walk in, still in her pink scrubs. Her hair was pulled back allowing him to see the dark circles under her eyes.

"You look like hell." He said, somewhat concerned.

His statement surprised her. "Do I look that bad?" She asked, placing a smile on her face.

"Not bad, just tired." He responded.

Cameron walked over to the two chairs that were in front of his desk and sat down in the one closest to the wall. She could still feel the weight of his stare on her and looked up to find him staring at her in his usual House manner, which was trying to read her thoughts before she said them out loud.

"I suppose you're here because you have an answer for me." He said not wanting to engage in any small talk. He had been waiting long enough.

Cameron rubbed her sweaty palms together but didn't say anything.

"You _have_ made a decision, haven't you?" House asked, hoping she didn't need more time.

"Yes. I've made a decision."

House was desperately trying to read her thoughts. _Surely she isn't going to say no,_ he wondered.

"We didn't discuss what my salary would be or when I would start." She said doing her best to hold out on giving him her answer since she knew it was driving him crazy.

"So you expect to be paid for working with me?" He teased.

"Funny." She smirked.

House stared intently at her. "Cuddy has agreed to accommodate your promotion with a salary that I think you will approve of."

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "So, you consider your offer a promotion?"

"You wouldn't?"

"You do remember it is _you _I will be working with." She jabbed at him.

"If I remember correctly, you liked working for me."

"The key word is _liked._" Cameron let a coy smile cross her lips. She liked the teasing banter between them. "I can't just leave the ER without notice."

"Cuddy agreed on next Monday but if she doesn't have a replacement for you by then, you will have to work here and in the ER until she finds one."

Cameron stared at him with her mouth slightly open. "And whose bright idea was that?"

"Mine. Cuddy isn't thrilled that you are leaving. If you continue to work in the ER full time, she will take her sweet time finding someone. However, with you working in both departments, she will feel guilty, which will make her work faster in finding the person who she will consider worthy of replacing you."

Cameron narrowed her eyes at House. "Thanks, I think."

"You're welcome."

They were both silent for a few seconds.

House cocked his head to the side. "So, what is your decision?"

Cameron kept a blank expression on her face. "I accept your offer."

House let out a sigh, surprising himself at the relief he felt. "So, we have a deal?"

"It would seem so." Cameron said feeling the excitement take over her body.

House stood. "Okay. Now that that's been decided, let's talk about something more serious. My stomach. I'm starving. Do you have any dinner plans?"

Cameron stood also. Her conversation with Chase crossed her mind. "No. Not really."

"The wombat must be working late." House said throwing her a look.

Cameron averted her eyes downward not letting House see her reaction but he didn't need to see her eyes to know the question bothered her.

"Actually, he has other plans." She said trying to disguise the emotion in her voice.

House opened his mouth to say something else but decided now was not the time.

"Let's grab Wilson and go have a burger. We'll make him buy."

Cameron laughed. "I need a minute to change and grab my things. Where do you want me to meet you?"

"In the lobby. I'm riding with you. I took a cab in, remember?" "You did?"

"You told me to."

"I know but I'm surprised you actually listened."

"I listen sometimes."

Cameron followed House across the hall to Wilson's office and watched as House opened the door without knocking.

Wilson looked up from his desk to see House standing there. "House, I'm busy." He said in an annoyed tone. However, the scowl on his face quickly disappeared when he saw Cameron.

House didn't miss the smile that was exchanged between the two. "See how you are when a pretty blonde walks into the picture." House said, a little annoyed at the ease Cameron and Wilson shared between each other.

"Hi Allison."

"It looks like Cameron is going to be the new girl around here. We thought we would celebrate with burgers. Wanna join us?"

Wilson's face lit up. "I'd love to. I have about a half an hour of work to finish. Where are you two going?" He asked.

"Thought I would take her over to Oscars. See you there in half an hour?"

"Sounds good."

House closed Wilson's door.

"I'll lock up and you go and change. I'll meet you in the lobby." House said to Cameron and turned back towards his office.

Cameron headed back to the ER so she could grab her things from the locker room. She quickly changed into the jeans and sweater she wore to work, still feeling the excitement of accepting House's offer. She slipped on her shoes, grabbed her things and made her way to find House.


	13. Cameron leaves with House

****************

**Chapter 13**

While House was waiting in the lobby for Cameron, he watched as the elevator doors opened and Cuddy's young assistant stepped out of the square box. She was dressed in a tight fitting blue dress that stopped right above her knees and her dark brown hair fell just below her shoulders, resting on the swell of her breasts. He couldn't help but notice how nice her body was.

The young woman saw House looking at her from across the lobby and decided to take a detour and started walking towards him. A minute later, she stopped a few inches in front of him.

"We haven't met formally. I'm Christy." She stuck out her hand for him to take.

House looked down at her hand. Against his better judgment, he took her hand into his. "Nice to meet you, Christy. I'm Dr."

She interrupted him. "I know who you are. Dr. Cuddy has already warned me to stay away from you."

House couldn't help the grin that tugged at the corners of his mouth. "Don't believe everything you hear."

"Really? That would be disappointing." She flashed him a sexy smile.

House didn't say anything, instead gave her one of his intent stares.

When it was clear to the young woman that he wasn't going to say anything, she proceeded. "So, I was wondering if you would like to have a drink?" She asked.

House raised his eyebrow in surprise at her audacity. "Are you old enough to drink?"

She laughed a teasing little laugh. "Of course I am. You can't expect me to believe that I'm too young for your taste. Especially not from what I have heard."

House knew when he was being hit on, and now was definitely one of those times. He had better handle this with kid gloves or Cuddy would have his ass. Out of the corner of his eye and none too soon, he saw Cameron walking towards him.

Christy turned to see who he was looking at and frowned when she saw Cameron making her way towards them. She turned back towards House.

"A friend of yours?" She didn't bother to disguise the agitated tone in her voice.

"As a matter of fact, she is." The idea of referring to Cameron as a friend had a nice sound to it, he thought.

"Lucky lady."

Cameron joined them. "Hi."

Christy didn't bother to introduce herself to Cameron but simply said good bye to House and suggested another time.

Cameron watched as the young woman walked away. "Did I interrupt something?"

House placed his hand at the small of her back and directed her towards the glass doors that lead to the outside. "Yes and none too soon."

Cameron laughed. "Isn't that Lisa's new assistant?"

"Uh huh." He didn't say any more on the subject and Cameron didn't bring it up again.

When they walked outside, the cold air shocked them both. "It's freezing out here." Cameron said through chattering teeth.

As they got closer to her blue Jeep Cherokee, Cameron saw a long white envelope underneath the windshield wiper on the driver's side. She looked at it curiously and reached over and pulled it out. House watched. Cameron's first thought was that it might be from Chase. She quickly unlocked the doors and they both climbed in. She started her jeep and turned on the heater before she gave the envelope her attention.

"A secret admirer?" House asked curiously as he eyed the envelope.

"I don't know." She said as she opened up the damp envelope.

Inside was a piece of paper with typed print. It read,

"_**I enjoy watching you. You looked sexy today."**_

Cameron turned the paper over and also looked at the envelope, her name was not on either one of them. "I don't see my name. Maybe it isn't meant for me."

"Maybe. Let me see that. Kind of creepy that they stuck it on your window." Cameron handed House the note and the envelope. "It's not very wet so it hasn't been there long." He read the neatly printed words.

"I had an eerie feeling that someone was watching me last night when I was leaving to meet you." Cameron said thinking about the weird feeling she had.

House looked at her. "Have you had any problems with any one?" "No." Cameron said, not really believing the note was for her.

"Like you said, maybe it isn't meant for you. How could anyone think you looked sexy in those icky pink scrubs you wear." He said teasingly.

Cameron gave him a smirk. "Give me that!" She said and snatched the note from him and put it back into the envelope and placed it into her glove compartment, not giving it any more thought.

"Let's go. I'm starving." He insisted.

"You and your stomach. You're always hungry." She pulled out of the parking lot and pointed her car in the direction of Oscar's.

**********

In a car, parked three spaces away, the unnoticed man with dark eyes, watched Allison Cameron as she approached her jeep. He was not expecting her to have someone with her. This was totally out of character for her and it didn't make him happy. He knew who Dr. House was and his reputation. He also knew that Allison had worked for him before. _Why is she with him?_ He wondered.

He watched as she pulled the envelope from her windshield and the two of them climbed into her jeep. His breath quickened as he waited for her to open it. After a couple of minutes he could tell she was focusing her attention on the gift he gave her. He watched as she opened the envelope and read the few words on the white piece of paper he had proudly typed. He had chosen his words carefully, not wanting to scare her. He didn't like it when she handed the paper to Dr. House to read. His words were meant for her only. Then he watched as the two of them began to laugh. This made him angry and he began to breathe hard. This was not going the way he expected. This was his first attempt at letting her know that he was watching her, that he found her desirable. Why wasn't she taking this serious? It was because she was with _him_.

Now they were leaving together. He waited a minute before he pulled out also, leaving enough distance between them so he wouldn't be noticed. When he saw the blue jeep pull into the parking lot of the restaurant, he pulled across the street and put his car into park. He watched them walk inside, still wondering why she was with Dr. House. He tried to watch them through the restaurant windows but he was too far away. He needed to go home. He had more planning to do and he needed to think about tonight. Plans may have to be altered and he may have to act sooner than what he had originally planned. He pulled away from the curb and headed to his little house that wasn't too far away.


	14. CameronHouseWilson

****************

**Chapter 14**

Cameron and House walked into Oscars unaware of the dark eyes that were watching their every move. Once inside, they found a table towards the back. The first thing they did was ordered two beers. Cameron looked over at the pool tables.

"Want to play a game of pool while we wait for Wilson?" She asked him.

"You play?" House asked surprised.

"Does the fact I play pool surprise you?" She asked with a smile.

"A little. We have to bet though. I can't play unless there is a bet on the table."

"Why?" She asked and pulled a twenty out of her pocket.

House raised his eyebrows. "Because it makes the game more interesting." He matched her twenty and laid it next to hers on the side of the pool table.

House won the coin toss allowing him to break first.

Cameron stood by and watched as he made shot after shot. After the fifth straight ball in, her jaw dropped. She hadn't realized he was so good. Finally, he missed, giving her a chance to catch up.

She gave him a cocky grin and told him to stand back and watch. She knew she wasn't as good as he was, by any means, but she could give him a run for his money.

House watched as she slowly moved around the pool table, calculating her move. She was dressed in tight jeans and a pink pull over sweater that barely touched the top of her jeans. When she leaned over the table, he could see soft skin peeking out from under her sweater. He suddenly felt the need to give her his assistance and hung his cane on the edge of the pool table and limped around, stopping directly behind her. He casually leaned his body into hers, nudging her legs slightly apart with his so he could move in closer, leaned over and placed his hands on top of hers, helping her guide the pool stick in the right direction.

Cameron was surprised when she felt him move behind her. His nearness was unnerving. The heat from his body and smell of his spicy cologne was almost too much for her to handle. She could feel his hot breath at the nape of her neck, sending shivers down her spine. She decided to enjoy the moment and let him show her the move. She couldn't stop the large smile that crossed her face and she didn't care that he saw it.

Neither one saw a very amused Wilson, standing a few feet away, watching the scene unfolding between the two of them. He almost hated to interrupt. He moved closer and cleared his throat.

They both looked up.

"Oh, hi Wilson. House is giving me a few pointers."

"I can see that."

Cameron blushed as House stood up and walked towards Wilson. "You have great timing."

Wilson gave House a curious look. "I don't know about you guys but I'm starving. How about if I go order while you two finish your game?"

They agreed and Wilson asked them what they wanted and then made his way to the bar to place their orders and also to pick up three more beers.

Cameron and House finished their game with House pocketing her twenty dollars.

They both sat down. Cameron took a drink of her beer, enjoying the taste of the cool liquid. "Are you good at everything you do?" She asked him.

"What can I say? It's how the angels made me."

She raised her eyebrow. "The angels, huh? Angels with horns." She teased.

House smirked enjoying his own beer.

Wilson joined them a short time later, so did two burgers and one veggie burger for Cameron. All three eagerly ate their food.

Cameron couldn't help enjoy sitting with Wilson and House. Being with the two of them brought back a lot of memories she had tucked away in the back of her mind.

Half an hour later, they had finished their food, except for Cameron. House noticed she had only eaten half of her veggie burger.

Wilson excused himself when he saw an old friend sitting at the bar, leaving Cameron and House alone.

House watched her for a moment before he spoke. "So, what plans did the Aussie have tonight?"

Cameron suddenly felt uneasy. "Drinks with a friend."

He raised his eyebrows and watched her closely.

Cameron didn't have to look up to know his eyes were upon her. She took a drink of her beer and looked over at him. "What?" She asked rolling her eyes.

"Chase isn't happy you have a new job, is he?"

Cameron shrugged her shoulders. "He's a little upset."

House leaned into the table slightly. "By your body language, I would say he's more than a little upset."

"Why does it matter if he's upset or not?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It doesn't… to me. I would just think he would be happy for you."

"Did you really think he would be? He's not too crazy about me being around you again." "So, he doesn't trust you?"

Cameron let out a long sigh. "Something like that."

"Doesn't he realize that if you and I were going to fuck around, that we would have found a way to do it by now?" He stated matter of fact.

She was surprised at his terminology of them sleeping together. "Straight to the point, aren't you?"

"Best way. Isn't that how you usually operate?"

"Usually." She paused for a couple of minutes. "I think he's worried that my feelings for you are going to resurface."

"You mean the feelings you don't have any more?" "Those are the ones." She sat her beer down. "He thinks I'm foolish for accepting your offer and believes it's a step backwards."

"He's just pissed because I didn't ask him to come back." He watched her for a minute. "If this is going to cause your love life problems, maybe you should rethink it." Cameron snapped her head up and looked at him. "Why are you doing this?"

"What?" House tried to sound innocent.

"You know what." Cameron said sternly. "Do you want me to rethink my decision? I have accepted your offer House because I feel it's the best move for me. If Chase has a problem with my decision, then he and I will deal with that… privately."

House was enjoying the game too much to let it end. "It doesn't bother you that everything isn't a bed of roses in the house of _luuuvvv_?"

Cameron smiled running her finger around the rim of her beer bottle. "You just can't drop it can you?"

House continued to act like he didn't know what she was talking about.

She decided to play his game and put him on the edge for a change. She leaned half way across the table, inches from his face and gave him a seductive look. "You want all the naughty details about mine and Chase's sex life, House? Is that what you're looking for?" She said in a lusty voice. "Do you want to know if Chase really satisfies me or am I only pretending, when actually I'm fantasizing about you?" She slowly licked her lips, letting her words sink in before continuing. "Fantasizing what it would be like to crawl on top of you and slowly fuck your brains out? Is that what you want to hear?"

House sucked in his breath as her words entered his brain… how the look in her eyes had become dark and lusty. He had never seen her this way before. Was she being serious? He wondered. He reached up and rubbed his chin, noticing how she was sucking her bottom lip.

Cameron realized that her own breathing had become slow and heavy as she continued to stare into his deep blue eyes. It would have been so easy for her to move in and kiss him. The thought put a smile on her lips. Instead, she pulled her eyes from his and fell back into her chair. She was trying to control her breathing without him noticing the affect he had on her.

It didn't work. He had noticed that she was just affected by her move as much as he was.

Her smile faded and a more subdued look came over her face. "Chase has always thought I was foolish for caring about you. No matter how many times I have told him that I didn't have feelings for you any more, he has never been able to move past the fact that I did. And do you know what is so damn amusing about this whole situation?" She let out a little laugh, pausing to take another drink of her beer. "It's that you and I have never been intimate with one another. We had one disastrous date and there was that kiss, which was a great kiss and I dare you to deny that it wasn't because I felt you get into it… but other than that, you have always denied any feelings for me. So, in reality, it has always been in my head, hasn't it? However, Chase chooses not to believe that I have moved on."

House took a sip of his beer thankful she wasn't looking at him that way any more. He listened as she tried to rationalize the situation in Cameron terms. "Are you sure you have?" He asked in a low, deep voice.

She looked at him with dark green eyes. "What, moved on? (She paused) Absolutely." Her mouth and her head said yes but she knew her heart didn't agree.

Just then, Wilson made it back to the table and saw the look between House and Cameron. He had definitely interrupted something because one could cut the air with a knife. "Everything okay?" Not sure if he should ask.

"Cameron was just telling me a story, that's all." He said slowly, still staring into her eyes as he leaned back in his chair.

Cameron finally pulled her eyes from his and took a deep breath. "How about a game of pool Wilson?" She asked still trying to recover from the scene that had just happened a few minutes earlier.

"Sure. I suppose you want to bet."

Cameron shot House a look. "It makes the game more interesting." And she pulled out another twenty and laid it on the table.

House smiled. "My kind of girl." He waggled his eyebrows.

Cameron smiled and walked to the pool table and began to rack the balls.

Wilson eyed House suspiciously. "What's with you two?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He lied.

"Right. I definitely interrupted something. Don't think you aren't going to tell me what went on here tonight." Wilson warned sternly letting House know he wasn't going to be left in the dark again.

House ordered another beer and watched as Cameron and Wilson played pool. She was laughing and seemed to be having a great time but some how he got the feeling that underneath that dazzling smile, something wasn't right.

After a couple of hours had passed Cameron decided she better go because tomorrow was going to be a long day. Wilson thanked her for the games of pool even if he did lose two games and forty dollars to her. He agreed to give House a ride home.

She was putting on her coat when House pulled a key out of his pocket and slid it across the table towards her. "Here before I forget."

"What's this?" She asked picking up the key. "A key to your condo?" She couldn't help the grin that came across her face.

He smiled slyly. "It's a key to the office. If you're still the Cameron I remember, you'll be at there before anyone else." His smile didn't leave his face.

Cameron tilted her head and stared back at him.

Wilson watched the look that passed between House and Cameron and wondered again what was going on.

Cameron tucked the key into her front jeans pocket and House couldn't help think how lucky that key was. She told them both goodbye and secretly paid the tab before she left.


	15. Cameron tells Cuddy

****************

**Chapter 15**

Cameron was staring at her ceiling when the annoying beep of her alarm started going off. She had already been awake for an hour. With her head filled with recent events, sleep had managed to elude her most of the night. The situation with Chase had her really upset and the fact that he hadn't returned any of her calls from last night, told her that he wasn't going to move past this easily. And of course last night with House at the restaurant didn't help either. She wasn't sure exactly what had transpired between her and House but she would not allow her heart to rule her head this time. She had made a promise to herself the night she handed House her resignation letter. She promised to let everything she felt for him go and she hasn't looked back. It was the only way she could move forward, which is what she thought she had been doing with Chase, until now. Now, she wasn't sure about anything except accepting House's offer. She couldn't explain it but she knew she had made the right decision.

She glanced at the clock on her nightstand and pulled herself out of bed and hurried into the shower. She wanted to get to the hospital before her shift started so she could speak with Lisa to let her know of her decision. She smiled. She was happier than she had felt in a long time even if the consequences of her decision turned out to be greater than she had anticipated.

Forty-five minutes later, Cameron entered the hospital doors and took the elevator straight to Lisa's office. She noticed Lisa's young assistant wasn't in yet. She took in a couple of deep breaths and knocked on the door.

Lisa smiled when she saw it was Cameron and motioned for her to come in.

"Good morning Lisa."

"Hi Allison. You're here early."

"I wanted to talk to you before my shift started."

"Please have a seat." Lisa said and motioned to one of the chairs.

Cameron sat down and Lisa walked around her desk and sat in the chair next to her.

"I suppose you here to tell me you have accepted House's offer." Lisa stated with a smile.

"Am I that predictable?" Cameron asked a little embarrassed.

"No. You are anything but predictable." Lisa reassured her.

Cameron smiled. "Well, I'm here to officially let you know that I will be leaving the ER and accepting House's offer to work in diagnostics again." Cameron was so excited she could barely control her voice.

"I have to admit, I didn't think I would ever here that from you again. Are you sure you are ready for this again?"

Cameron let out a little laugh. "I better be, I accepted the job. I understand that I am to start on Monday and if you haven't found a replacement by then, I will be working in both departments."

"Yes. I'll try to find someone quickly. I am in the process of compiling a list of candidates right now." Lisa reached across her desk and grabbed the list of names.

"By starting a list, you must have presumed I would say yes."

"I wasn't sure but I took the chance and got a head start."

"Is Mark Brice on your list?" Cameron asked.

Lisa scanned the small list of names. "Yes, he is. Do you recommend him?"

"He works and plays well with others." Cameron said smiling. "I think he would be a good candidate."

"I will call him this morning and set an appointment." Lisa puts down the piece of paper.

"When do you want to go over my paperwork and salary?" Cameron asked.

Lisa smiled. "Like I said, I like getting a head start on things." She reached across her desk and picked up a file with Cameron's name on it. "I have already put a file together for you." She handed it to Cameron.

Cameron opened up the file and scanned the contents. "Wow. The salary is pretty generous."

"Well, it is House you are going to be working with, not to mention you're going in for your second round of combat. Certain members of the board do recognize that. I believe it's an appropriate amount. Besides, the hospital is lucky to have you." Lisa said sincerely.

Cameron took the pen Lisa was holding out to her and signed all the documents making if completely official. She closed the file and handed it back to Lisa.

"Thank you Lisa."

Lisa looked at Cameron curiously. "For what?"

"I know there wasn't room for another person on House's team."

Lisa smiled. "Ahh. House and I were creative. You are not on his team. You are his assistant, which it wasn't hard to convince the board that House needs an assistant. However, you will also be responsible to help him out with his lectures, which you know he hates doing and his budget planning, among all the other things I'm sure you are going to be doing. He's having a tough time with the new team and I'm sick of him whining. So, hopefully, his plan will work and you will keep him out of my hair."

Cameron laughed. "I'll do my best."

They both stood and gave one another a hug.

"Good luck Allison." Lisa said.

Cameron said goodbye and walked out. She saw Christy, who was now sitting at her desk and gave her a warm smile. The smile was not returned.

Lisa closed her door and couldn't deny the sadness she felt. She was happy for Cameron but she couldn't help but wonder what was really behind House's motives for asking her back. Lisa knew she needed to resolve this… _thing_ that was between her and House before she went crazy. However, she wasn't exactly sure how to do that. When it came to House, nothing was ever easy. She decided that by the weekend, she would find a way to confront him and find out what was going on in that head of his. With that decision, she sat back down at her desk and started working on the list of candidates that would be a good choice to replace Cameron.


	16. Cameron leaves House a note

****************

**Chapter 16**

Cameron glanced at her watch and saw she had twenty minutes left and decided to stop by House's office. She knew he wouldn't be in yet but she wanted to leave him a note. His office was still dark but she saw Foreman in the adjoining room attempting to make coffee. She quietly snuck up behind him and goosed him in the ribs, causing him to spill coffee grounds on the counter.

Foreman spun around to see who was behind him and was very surprised to see Cameron.

"Hey! What brings you up here? House isn't here yet."

"I know. I need to leave him a note and I saw you in here. Want some help with that?" She asked, pointing to the coffee.

"Would you please? Everyone around here sucks at making coffee. You would think out of five doctors one of us could make decent coffee." Cameron took the filter from him and proceeded to make the coffee.

Foreman eyed her curiously. "So, you said you needed to leave House a note?"

She recognized his tone and knew he wanted to know what was going on.

"You know, House has been acting strange the last couple of days. Wouldn't have anything to do with you, would it?" Foreman continued.

"When is House not acting strange?" She avoided answering Foreman's question. After starting the coffee, she went into House's office and sat down at his desk looking for a blank piece of paper.

Foreman followed and watched her as she shuffled through the papers on the cluttered desk.

"How does he find anything around here. I don't remember it being this bad." She stated.

"Does that surprise you? You were the one who kept everything organized."

He continued to watch her.

She saw the look. "What?"

"Nothing. You just look normal sitting there." "Yeah, lobby art." They both laughed. "I suppose it wouldn't do me any good to send him an email instead?"

"Not if you want him to read it in this life time."

Cameron finally found a note pad underneath the mess of papers and scribbled a short note, folded it in half and taped it to the front of his computer.

She stood up and looked at Foreman who was still watching her. "Why do you keep looking at me that way?"

"You're coming back to work here, aren't you?"

Cameron couldn't hide the look of surprise. "Why would you think that?" She laughed.

"Just a feeling."

She looked at him sheepishly. "Would it bother you if I did?"

Foreman looked at her seriously for a minute before answering. "I don't know, I hadn't really thought about it. Does that mean you are coming back?" He asked again.

Cameron was trying to suppress the large grin that desperately wanted to spread across her face. "Yes. Are you okay with that?"

Foreman became silent again.

Cameron felt a little uneasy with his silence. She and Foreman hadn't always been the best of friends and definitely had not seen eye to eye on many issues. She subconsciously started biting her bottom lip.

Foreman couldn't hold back any longer. "Hell yeah. It will be nice to have you back." He said and gave her a hug, surprising her.

"I'm glad because I'm really nervous about working with the new team."

"They're a little green around the ears. They haven't figured out how to handle House yet."

"So I've heard. Hey, don't let him know you know."

"I won't. What does Chase say about all this?"

Cameron's look gave him the answer.

"He's not happy is he?"

"No. He thinks I took the job for different reasons."

"And are you?" He asked.

"No, I'm not." She said, tired of having to answer that question.

Foreman decided to leave it alone. "Give Chase time. He'll come around. When do you start?"

"Monday." She glanced at her watch. "I gotta go. My shift starts in five minutes. I'll see ya later."

"Okay. Thanks for the coffee." He said as he walked back into the conference room to pour a cup.

A few minutes later, the others started filtering in wondering if they had a new case yet.

**********

House wandered into the office around ten. He glanced into the other room to see that every one was already gone for the morning. He dropped his bag on the floor behind his desk and turned to see the note stuck on his computer. He limped over and plucked it off the screen, unfolded it and read the perfect handwriting

"_Good Morning Dr. House. I notified Dr. Cuddy that I have accepted your offer and that I will be working in the Diagnostics Department once again. I suppose this makes it official. Hope you know what you're getting into."_

_Sincerely,_

_Dr. Allison Cameron_

House rubbed his chin and smiled at its formality. It definitely had smart-a$$ written all over it. Let the fun begin, he thought. He unlocked his bottom desk drawer and placed the note between the three files that occupied the space, locked it back and left to find Wilson.


	17. Cameron talks to Chase

*****************

**Chapter 17**

The day had passed by quickly in the ER. Cameron glanced at her watch and was surprised to see it was almost one thirty. She looked at her phone, hoping to find a message from Chase but her phone showed no missed calls or messages. She decided she had had enough of him avoiding her and set off to find him, hoping to make him talk to her face to face. She walked up to his office and peeked inside only to find it empty. So, she wondered around the floor for a minute to see if she could find him on her own without having him paged. As she was walking past a room, she heard his voice. He was in with a patient. She stood outside the room and waited for him to come out. Five minutes later, he walked out. He was looking at a chart and walked right past her, not realizing that she was standing there.

"Chase." She called out to him.

He turned to look at her. "Allison." He said a little surprised. "What brings you up here?" He slowed down so she could catch up with him.

She quickly caught up. "I was hoping we could talk for a minute?"

"I really don't have much time. I have surgery in an hour and I still have one more patient to see."

Cameron was walking fast to keep up with his long stride. "Please, just for a minute." She hated the fact that she had to practically beg him to talk to her.

Chase sighed and stepped into an empty room. Cameron followed and closed the door.

"Why haven't you returned any of my calls? I've been trying to reach you since last night."

Chase gave her a hard stare. "Truth?"

"Of course."

"I haven't wanted to talk to you."

Cameron flinched at his bluntness.

Chase continued. "Did you go out with House?" He didn't care that he sounded harsh.

Cameron hesitated. "Yes, with him and Wilson. But only because you had made other plans."

Chase looked away from her. "Right."

"What is this all about Chase? Surely you aren't avoiding me just because I accepted the job with House?"

"Don't you think that's enough?" He spat, his Australian accent becoming stronger with his anger. "I really don't like the idea of you working for House again. Why can't you understand that?"

Cameron stared at him. "You were avoiding me before House came into the picture. What's really going on?" She asked in a demanding tone.

Chase looked at her. "Don't twist this around. This _is_ about House." He tried to step around her but she wouldn't let him. "I need to get back to work Allison."

She reached out and touched his arm. "Chase, we can't keep avoiding this and I can't understand why you would want to."

"You made up your mind about this before ever talking to me about it. When you resigned, you came to me that night and told me you wanted to be with me, that you wanted to try. I was ready to leave with you Allison, to make a fresh start somewhere else. Then Cuddy calls and offers you a job in the ER and without considering what I wanted, you accepted her offer and I don't think it was just because you didn't want to move. I think you stayed because _he's_ here. I think you have been lying to yourself and to me and I'm tired of waiting for you. For you to accept this job with House pretty much says it all, doesn't it? I don't know if I can do this any more with you.

Cameron sighed. "I did what I thought was best for my future and I thought you would support that. I didn't know it was going to upset you this much."

Chase looked at her. "What did you expect?" He let out a fake laugh. "If you really are concerned about us, tell House you have changed your mind and don't want the position."

Cameron looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I can't do that Chase. I can't explain it but this is the right decision for me. Can't you trust me on this? Don't you think I can work with House and not have feelings for him?"

"No, I don't and I think you are fooling yourself if you think you can." He moved towards the door. Cameron didn't try to stop him this time.

"So, what now?" She asked softly.

Chase had his hand on the door. "I don't know. I can't win against House and I'm tired of competing." He glanced at his watch. "I really have to go."

She nodded her head at him as he walked out of the room, again, leaving her alone for the second time this week. She suddenly felt very tired.


	18. House visits Cameron in ER

****************

**Chapter 18**

**Friday…**

Not having a new patient had made it a long week for the team. All of them, including House, were very glad it was almost five o'clock and the end of the week. House contemplated telling everyone that Cameron would be starting on Monday but decided against it. He liked having a secret to dangle over people's head. However, he thought telling Foreman would be a good idea.

He limped into the conference room. "Okay everyone. You are dismissed, go home, have a good weekend and all that pathetic stuff. Foreman, stick around for a minute."

He didn't have to tell everyone twice. They scurried out of the room, leaving Foreman behind with House.

House waited till they were completely alone before he spoke. "I wanted to let you know that Cameron will be back with us on Monday."

"Really?" Foreman did his best to sound surprised. "Did she ask to come back?"

House eyed Foreman. "No. I asked her back."

Foreman is surprised that House actually admitted he was the one who asked Cameron back.

"Why didn't you tell everyone else?" Foreman asked curiously.

"They already think that if they stand up to me I will fire them. If they knew Cameron was coming on board it would have screwed with them all weekend, wondering which one of them was going to lose their job." House stopped talking for a second. "On second thought I should have told them. Damn it! Why didn't I tell them!"

Foreman shook his head. "One of these days you're going to learn that karma is a bitch, House."

"I already know that and it has never changed a thing. Have a good weekend." House was finished with the small talk.

"You too. See you on Monday." Foreman left with a smile.

House went back to his office when Wilson stuck his head in. "Up for a beer?"

"Yeah. I have a detour to make before I leave then I'll meet you where? The usual?" House asked.

"Yeah. Sounds good."

They both knew to meet at Oscar's again. It was their favorite place to hide from the world.

**********

It was Friday evening and the night already showed promise of being busy, which is what Cameron needed to keep her mind off of things. She hadn't spoke to Chase since their conversation on Wednesday and the weekend didn't show much promise either.

She grabbed a chart and headed to curtain six where she found an elderly man waiting for her.

.

House never understood why anyone would want to work in the ER. He made his way through the bustle of people seeking out one in particular. With his patience growing thin, he stopped the next nurse who passed by him and asked where Cameron was. She pointed to the closed curtain on the end. House continued through the mass of people until he reached the blue green curtain. He could hear Cameron speaking to someone in her caring voice that annoyed him so much. He paused before sticking his cane in and pulling back the curtain far enough so he could enter. His entrance startled Cameron and her patient.

Cameron was somewhat surprised to see House. "Why are you here?" She asked as she continued to cast the elderly man's arm.

Ignoring Cameron's question he turned his attention to the thin aging man on the table. "Don't mind me. I'm just here to ogle the pretty blonde." He waggled his eyes at the old man, causing the man to snicker slightly.

Cameron saw the exchanged looks between to two men and rolled her eyes. "I'm with a patient House."

"I can see that Dr. Cameron." He snipped sarcastically as he passed behind her, brushing up against her on purpose. When he did, he caught the sweet scent of her perfume.

Cameron felt the heat of his body when he touched her, causing her to shiver. She did her best to focus on what she was doing.

"Can't this wait?" She asked trying to sound annoyed.

"Nope. I'm in a hurry. I've got a date with another hot blonde."

She shook her head. "Okay, what is it?" She asked.

"Just making sure you haven't changed your mind about Monday." He smirked.

"Have you changed your mind?" She threw the question back at him as she finished casting the man's arm.

Cameron turned her attention back to the man sitting on the table. "Okay Mr. Walker, we need to let this set then you can go. Is your wife here?"

"Yes. I believe she is finishing up some paperwork."

"I'll have a nurse let her know she can be with you now."

Cameron shot House a teasing glare and left the area. House stood to follow when the elder man touched his arm as he passed by.

"I think you need to go for that." The man motioned to Cameron.

A sly smile crossed House's lips as he realized what the man was talking about. House only nodded and patted the man on the shoulder and left to find Cameron again.

Cameron was in the supply room when House found her.

"They are always moving things around in here." She said more to herself than to him.

"You won't have to deal with that much longer."

She smiled and looked at him. "So, are you meeting Wilson for a drink?"

He couldn't hide the smile. "You think you know me."

"Well, you did say you had a date with a hot blonde."

"I said _another_ hot blonde." He waited for a reaction but she didn't respond. "You're welcome to join us when your shift is over."

This got her attention and she turned to him with one raised eyebrow. "First you call me hot and now you are inviting me out on your date with Wilson? That's so not like you." She said shoving a large box back into the corner. "Besides, I know you're not serious because you know I have to work tonight and it's a Friday night. I'm lucky if I will be out of here before one."

"I suppose you'll be going home to snuggle up with the wombat when you're done here."

Cameron stopped what she was doing and looked at him. "Don't start." She warned.

They stared at each other for a minute. House was desperately trying to read her thoughts. She wasn't going to give him a clue what was going on between her and Chase.

"I guess I better let you get back to being Joan of Arc."

They stepped out of the supply closet.

"Tell Wilson I said hello." She said and gave him a smile and started walking the other direction.

"Cameron."

She stopped and turned to look at him. "What?"

"I was serious."

Cameron couldn't resist. "About me being hot or the drink?"

House gave her a crooked smile. "Both."

"Good night House." She said and turned around not letting him see the large smile that was beginning to spread across her delicate pink lips.

House watched Cameron walk away thinking how sexy she made those horrible pink scrubs look. He couldn't wait to see her in normal clothing again. With a smile on his face, he made his way into the cold evening. As he limped to his bike, he thought briefly about what the old man said to him and he chuckled. There was no denying that life around the hospital was going to become more interesting and definitely more fun, he thought as he climbed on his bike and headed to meet Wilson.


	19. Wilson asks Cuddy on a date

****************

**Chapter 19**

Wilson paced back and forth in his office contemplating what to do. He had seen her walk in this morning, surprised that she too had decided to come into the hospital on a Saturday. That had been thirty minutes ago and he assumed she was still here or maybe a better word was hope, he hoped she was still here. He couldn't believe he was so nervous. It should be simple. He had gone over this a hundred times in his head. All he had to do was go to her office and ask her if she would like to have dinner with him but for some reason, asking Lisa Cuddy out on a date terrified him.

He sighed heavily and ran his hand through his sandy blonde hair. He and Lisa had been out together on numerous occasions, but never on a date and he knew what the problem was other than him just being an idiot. It was House. House and Lisa had been toying with one another for years. By asking Lisa out, Wilson felt as if he was betraying his best friend and he was having a very hard time moving past that. However, the past several months, his need to be near her had grown stronger and it had been difficult not letting her or anyone else, especially House, know he had feelings for her. It wouldn't take much for House to catch on and learn what his intentions were, which was a place he didn't want to go, at least not yet.

He stopped pacing and stared out his window. _This is ridiculous!_ He said out loud and in spite of what the evil voice was shouting in his head, he swung open his door with determination and stepped into the hall as if he was going to face the man at the end of the dirt road for a shoot out. He walked towards the elevators but decided on the stairs instead, to take the two flights down. This would take longer, giving him more time to gather his courage that was at the moment, lingering somewhere around his kneecaps. As he approached her door, his hands became sweaty and his breathing shallow. _What if she says no?_ The evil voice said in his head, stopping him just mere inches from her door. He knew if she said no, it would crush him, to say the least. He closed his eyes and told the evil voice to shut up and tapped on her door.

Lisa sat at her desk watching a light spring snow as it fell peacefully to the ground, putting her in a melancholy mood. This was not the best way to spend a Saturday morning but she was trying to find something, _anything_, to take her mind off of House but being at the hospital hadn't helped. In fact, it had only made her feel worse. She was kicking herself for not going to him last night like she had planned and talking to him. If she had, she might be with him right now or at least have some closure to all the madness that had consumed her the past several weeks. But she chickened out at the last minute and now, she was trying to convince herself to call him and ask him if he would have dinner with her tonight. _Why is this so hard?_ She scolded herself, slamming her hands on her desk in aggravation. She had been dealing with House since college. She knew almost every quirk about him. She had slept with him, partied with him, endured his past relationships, including Stacy and the aftermath of Stacy. She had seen him at his worst and the rare moments when he actually felt something other than anger, pain or denial, but now it was different. Her feelings for him had changed and she thought she could feel something from him too. This is what she needed to find out. If the vibes she was getting from him were real and not her imagination. They had been dancing around each other for years. Maybe now was the time to find out what was inside the package and if there was something in there that could be salvageable, perhaps lasting. She had to find out before she lost what little insanity she had left. She picked up her phone to dial his number when a light knock on her door caught her attention. She looked up to see a smiling Wilson standing at her door. She smiled back, somewhat relieved she had been interrupted and motioned for him to come in.

"I see I'm not the only one who doesn't have a life." Wilson said teasingly.

"Tell me about it. Why are you here today?" She asked, hoping her voice didn't show any signs of anxiety. "Isn't Saturday yours and House's day to play?" She said playfully.

"Cute. Contrary to popular belief, House and I are not joined at the hip. I get sick of him just like everyone else." Wilson said as he moved closer to the front of her desk. "My tolerance level is low today which isn't good if one is choosing to deal with House."

Lisa nodded her head, understanding completely_. Why would I want to torture myself with a man like that?_ She wondered.

Wilson noticed the distant look in Lisa's eyes. "Is this not a good time? I can bother you later?"

Lisa realized Wilson was talking to her. "I'm sorry, what?"

"You seem a little distracted."

"No, no. I think it's because I really don't want to be here today."

"Me either but I thought I'd better catch up on some paperwork I keep pushing to the side." He stood there, feeling like a lump on a log and placed his hands in his front pant's pockets. He noticed she was dressed very casually, a white button up shirt with the first four buttons left undone and a pair of jeans, which if she stood up, he was sure fit her body nicely. She looked good. He realized he had been standing there, not saying anything. "I was just going to grab a snack." He lied. "Are you hungry for anything?" He hated that he sounded timid.

Lisa pointed to an empty pretzel bag and a candy bar wrapper. "Not really. I've been snacking all morning but thanks."

"Okay. Well, I better let you get back to work." His throat tightened as fear consumed him, not letting him say what he really wanted to say.

"I'm actually thinking about leaving pretty soon."

"Be careful. Streets might be bad. I'll see ya later." He turned to leave, hating himself, when a feeling of hope shot through his veins. He stopped and shook his head. _Don't leave. Ask her._ The voice of hope spoke softly in his head.

Lisa saw the hesitation and wondered what was wrong. "James, is something wrong?"

He took a deep breath and turned back around and blurted out the words so fast, he wasn't even sure what he said. "Wouldyouliketogoouttodinnerwithme… tonight?" He felt relief surge threw him. _Yes, I said it!_ He was cheering in his head.

Lisa sat up straight and stared at him for a couple of seconds trying to comprehend what he had just asked. "You mean, on a date?"

Wilson breathed in deeply. Yes, a date. Is that too weird for you?" The evil voice started creeping back into his head shouting doubt.

"No, it's not weird at all. I'm just surprised."

"Surprised in a good way or a bad way?" He asked cautiously as he moved closer to her desk again.

Lisa realized how nervous he was and this warmed her. "In a good way. It's just that, all the times we have gone out together, it has never really been a date."

"I know, we usually have House with us or a charity banquet to go to. Tonight would be just you and me, hopefully enjoying each other's company." He moved even closer to her desk and looked down at her intently. "I would like to spend an evening with you Lisa. No House. No banquets." He said in a quiet but strong voice that surprised him.

Lisa's heart skipped a beat when she heard the sincerity in his voice and saw the way he was looking at her. She suddenly felt all giddy inside. "I would love to." She answered surprising herself that she said yes so quickly. "It sounds like a wonderful way to spend the evening. What time?"

Wilson's heart fluttered. "How about six thirty? Do you like French food? I know of a nice French restaurant. Not too fancy but a little more than casual."

"That sounds delicious." She said leaning slightly forward now with a sparkle in her eyes.

Wilson liked how she said delicious. "I will pick you up at six thirty then."

A smile crossed her face but this time it wasn't only on the outside, it was on the inside to. "Okay. I'll see you then."

Wilson rounded the corner and gave a soft _Yeah!_ Jumping slightly in the air. He would have been so embarrassed if someone had seen him. Suddenly, the thought of going back to his office to do a little work wasn't so bad any more. He had something to look forward to. He glanced at his watch and saw it was almost noon. He would stay a little longer and then head home. He heard his phone ring and pulled it out of his pocket and saw that it was House. He hesitated for a second before answering.

"Hey."

"Where are you?" House said in a crisp voice.

"I'm at the hospital trying to catch up on some paperwork. Where are you?"

"Well, you must not be working too hard at it."

A curious look crossed Wilson's face. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm in your office and you're not here. Thought you could buy me lunch."

Alarm bells started going off in Wilson's head. He had to get House away from the hospital. If he stayed he would no doubt find Lisa and if he saw him and Lisa together, he would smell that something was going on. House had a sixth sense that was amazing.

"I just stepped out for some air." Wilson lied in a nervous tone.

"Liar. You've been to radiology, haven't you? You're trying to pick up on, what's her name, Marcy?"

"Melissa and no I haven't been to radiology. I don't even know if she is working today. Why are we talking on the phone? I'll be in my office in two minutes."

"You answered." House said and hung up.

Wilson stared at his phone and shook his head. He ran up the two flights of stairs thinking of what would be the fastest way to lure House away from the hospital without making him suspicious. _That's_ _easy,_ he thought, _food._ The difficult part was getting away from him later without telling him he had a date. He leaned against the door frame, when a thought came to mind and he quickly dialed Cameron's number, praying she would answer.


	20. House and Wilson go to lunch

****************

**Chapter 20**

Wilson sighed when he got Cameron's voicemail. He left a brief message. He needed to talk to her before he had House stuck at his side. He walked slowly to his office hoping his phone would ring but no luck.

Cameron was in the shower when Wilson's call for help came in. A few minutes later she walked out of the steam filled bathroom and strolled into her bedroom. She saw her phone lying on the bed with the familiar flashing light. She picked it up thinking it might have been Chase who called. She was surprised to see that the missed call was from Wilson and she immediately checked her message. Without hesitation, she dialed Wilson's number.

Wilson and House were in the elevator when his phone rang. He knew without looking that it was Cameron.

"Hey Allison. What's up?" He knew she was going to be completely confused.

House zoned in when he heard Wilson say Allison and wondered why Cameron would be calling Wilson. He listened intently hoping to figure out what was being said with only hearing one side of the conversation.

Cameron was completely confused with Wilson's strange tone. "You tell me since you are the one who called me." She let out a little laugh.

Wilson knew he couldn't talk to Cameron about what he needed if front of House. "I'm in the elevator and my phone is breaking up. Can I call you back in a few minutes?"

"Sure. Bye." She hung up the phone and wondered what was up with Wilson.

House watched as Wilson stuck his phone back in his pocket. "You're phone has always worked in the elevator before."

Wilson could hear the skepticism in House's voice. "Not all the time. It's probably the weather or something. I'll call her back later."

"Call her back in the lobby or the car. It may be important."

"I will. How did you get here?" He asked changing the subject. "Did you ride your bike?"

"Yeah. It's not too bad out there. I figured I would ride with you to where ever it is you are taking me to lunch at."

Wilson didn't want House to ride with him, knowing that is what he wanted just so he could hear his conversation with Cameron, who had no idea why he was even calling her in the first place. "Okay. Sure." He managed to say nonchalantly and they walked to his car.

"Where do you want to go?" Wilson asked as he pulled out of the parking lot.

"I don't care. Just somewhere where the food is good. You're money. You choose."

The last thing Wilson wanted right now was to have lunch with House. He had other things on his mind and he didn't want House to pick up on that. He decided on a little café a few streets over. They hadn't been there in a while and the food was good and it was close.

House sat quietly as they drove down the street, waiting for Wilson to pull out his phone and call Cameron. "Aren't you going to call Cameron back?"

"Why are you so anxious for me to call her back?" Wilson tried to misdirect House's curiosity.

"Why are you not calling her back in front of me?" House shot back.

Wilson gave House a 'I don't know what you're talking about look.' "No reason." He said and pulled out his phone, wondering what in the hell he was going to say to Cameron when she answered.

Cameron answered her phone after the second ring. "Talk to me."

Wilson laughed a little. "Hey. Sorry I had to hang up. What's up?"

Cameron laughed. "James, you called me, remember?"

Wilson took a deep breath and hoped Cameron would catch on fast. "Really? Are you okay?"

Cameron pulled her phone from her ear and looked at it as if looking at it would clear up the confusion. "Wilson. What's wrong with you?" She asked again.

Wilson kept playing the charade. "Tonight? I can do that. I don't have anything else going on"

House was looking out the window, not really paying attention to what was outside. He was more interested in the conversation that was going on between Wilson and Cameron.

"You can't talk can you?" Cameron was slowly catching on.

Wilson smiled knowing she probably thought he was crazy. "You got it."

Cameron couldn't help but laugh on her end. "Who's with you? House?"

"You are absolutely right about that. What time tonight?"

"I don't know. You tell me." She said with amusement.

"Six thirty sounds good."

"You better call me later James Wilson and let me know what is going on."

"I will. See you then. Bye Allison."

"Bye James." She ended the call and wondered what kind of predicament Wilson had gotten himself into.

A few minutes later, the two men walked into the café and chose a booth towards the back of the room. They sat and immediately opened up their menus.

Wilson was waiting for House's interrogation to begin any minute.

House eyed Wilson over the top of his menu. It was killing him to know what that phone call was about. He began to tap his fingers lightly on the table.

They both placed their orders and Wilson began to make small talk.

House exaggerated a long sigh interrupting Wilson. "Since you are obviously not going to bring it up first, I will. What's up with Cameron?"

Wilson shrugged his shoulders. "I didn't bring it up because it was a personal phone call." "So. We tell each other everything."

Wilson grimaced at House's comment. "Cameron and Chase had a fight and she's upset. She just wanted to know if I wanted to grab something to eat later so we could talk."

Normally, this would have surprised House but since he recently learned that Cameron and Wilson do get together once in a while to talk, he believed him.

"And that's was too personal to tell me?" House asked in a sarcastic tone.

"It doesn't matter what our conversation was about. It was personal."

"You two have a _special_ place you go to?" House asked ignoring Wilson's comment.

There was no way Wilson was going to give House a specific place because he would show up looking for them. "No. We just go where ever. What did you order?" Wilson was trying to desperately change the subject without House picking up on it.

It didn't work. House knew Wilson didn't want to talk about Cameron for some reason. This only made him more curious. He stared hard at Wilson. _What was he up to_ _with Cameron?_ He wondered.

Wilson could feel the bore of House's stare upon him but refused to look at him.

"You're not telling me everything." House continued to push the issue.

Wilson let out a fake laugh. "Yes I am. Why do you care anyway?"

"I don't. It's just that we usually spend Saturday night together."

Wilson smiled. "Are you hurt because I'm spending the evening with Cameron instead of you?"

"I'm not hurt Jimmy. Annoyed would be a better word."

"Ohhh I understand. You're jealous." Wilson liked how easily the tables had turned.

"Nope. I said annoyed. You could have asked if I had anything planned first." House stated as he dumped three packets of sugars into his iced tea.

"You have got to be kidding me. Since when do you own my Saturday night's?"

"I just find it odd that Cameron would call you because she and Chase had a fight. Doesn't she have a _girl_friend she can talk to?" House said in a nipping tone.

"You don't like the fact that Cameron talks to me about her and Chase's relationship, do you? I bet you asked her and she blew you off." Wilson was enjoying this.

House didn't like the smug look on Wilson's face. "I haven't asked her. I could care less about the wombat and Joan of Arc." He lied.

"Right. That's why you're sitting there asking me all those questions."

"I'm a curious guy." House tried to sound like he didn't care.

Wilson stared at him for a minute when it suddenly dawned on him what was really bothering House. "You don't like the fact that Cameron and I have grown closer."

"You're way off base. I just don't want you to forget whose best friend you are." House said seriously.

"Look, Cameron just needs someone to talk to, that's all. It's only dinner. It's not like I'm going to sleep with her."

Wilson saw House's jaw clench and a flicker of something he couldn't identify flash in his eyes when he made the comment about sleeping with Cameron. _Was House really afraid that he would sleep_ _with Cameron?_ He wondered. This intrigued him.

House didn't say anything. The thought of Wilson and Cameron sleeping together didn't set well with him and he wasn't even sure why but he didn't like it.

"You didn't say what the idiot did to upset Cameron."

"She didn't say. I guess I'll find out tonight."

"He's probably still pissed about her working for me again."

"Yeah. He's pretty upset about that."

House's eyes narrowed. The fact that Wilson knew Chase was upset told him that Cameron had talked to him recently. _How did I not pick up on this?_ He wondered.

They were both thankful when the waitress brought their food. It gave them both an excuse to quit talking about the subject at hand. However, Wilson wasn't so naive to believe the conversation was completely over with. House had asked too many questions to just let it end like that. He had to call Cameron as soon as he dropped House off because he wouldn't put it past House to call her himself and he had to let her know what was going on before that happened.


	21. Wilson uses Cameron as alibi

****************

**Chapter 21**

It was almost three when Wilson pulled into the hospital parking lot to drop off a sullen House, who was definitely not happy about being pushed to the sidelines by his best friend. However, he had a feeling there was more to House's brooding manner, especially when House warned him to not take advantage of Cameron's situation. The comment surprised Wilson and he wasn't exactly sure what House had meant but he didn't have time to focus on his cantankerous friend right now. There were other things that needed his attention first, like getting Cameron squared away before House decided to call her.

Cameron looked at her caller ID and saw it was Wilson. She quickly answered.

"Finally you call! I was beginning to worry. What is going on?" She asked as she leaned against the counter of her small kitchen, waiting for the coffee she started a few minutes ago, to finish brewing.

"I'm sorry. I couldn't call until I got rid of House." Wilson said as he pulled up to a red light.

"It's okay. Just tell me what's going on." Cameron said a little more demanding than before.

Wilson took a deep breath and began to explain about the day's events, why he needed her help and why he couldn't talk when she returned his call earlier.

Cameron sat quietly, absorbing all that Wilson was telling her. She waited until he stopped talking before she said anything.

"Wow. You've had quiet a day, haven't you? What did you do with House?" She asked as she added vanilla cream to her cup of coffee.

"I dropped him back at the hospital so he could get his bike and he wasn't happy. I was afraid he was going to call you before I had a chance to tell you what was going on."

"I wouldn't have answered."

Wilson suddenly felt guilty for putting Cameron in a position where she had to cover for him. "Allison I'm so sorry to involve you in this."

"You know when House finds out we are pulling a fast one on him he isn't going to let us forget it easily." She stated the obvious.

"I know. I will definitely let him know it was me who put you up to it."

Cameron laughed. "I can deal with House. It's you I'm worried about. House can be very revengeful." She warned.

"Yeah, I know that too. Are you sure you're going to be okay with this?" Wilson was trying to ease the stupidity he felt for acting like someone who was still in high school.

Cameron smiled. "I'll be okay." She took a sip of her coffee. "You never told me what excuse you gave him as to why I called you." She asked as she stared out the window, watching the small snowflakes melt as they hit the ground.

Wilson answered as he made a right turn onto the street that led to his modest town home. He quickly scanned the area, expecting to find House lurking nearby. "I had to think fast so I told him you and Chase had a fight and you wanted to talk." "Well, you didn't lie about me and Chase. Things are definitely not okay with us but I'm meeting him tonight to talk about everything. Did House buy it?"

"I think so. He knows you and I talk sometimes. He was just curious as to why you would call me and not a girlfriend."

"I really don't have a girlfriend I would talk to. Actually, I probably would call you."

"I think it bothers him that you and I have become closer."

"Really." She smiled. "That's because he doesn't like me taking you away from him."

"Ahhh. I think it's more than that." Wilson spoke without thinking.

Cameron furrowed her brow. "Why do you say that?"

"It's just a feeling I have." Wilson didn't want to elaborate more on the thought without knowing for sure. He sat outside his garage waiting for the door to rise.

"Okay." Cameron said not understanding completely what Wilson was talking about. She paused and decided to change the subject. "So, tell me about Lisa. I didn't know you thought about her that way."

Wilson could hear the amusing tone in Cameron's voice. "I've have been keeping that to myself."

Cameron let out a little laugh. "Obviously."

"You are the only one who knows and I have to tell you, it feels good to finally tell someone about it. I just didn't want House to ruin tonight and he would have found a way if he knew I had asked Lisa out. He would have done the same if he thought you and I were going on a date."

"James, you don't have to explain. I completely understand. I hope Lisa knows how lucky she is."

Wilson smiled. "Thanks Allison. I'm keeping my phone on silent tonight. I suggest you do the same. I know House and he will call and when he doesn't get me, he'll start calling you."

Cameron laughed. "I'll keep that in mind. Have a nice time tonight. I expect to hear details. Well, not all the details but you know."

Wilson laughed. "It's only dinner. I'll call you tomorrow."

"Okay. Bye."

"Bye Allison."

**********

House sat at his piano, playing with the ivory keys that usually soothed his soul when things were not properly aligned in his world but it wasn't working today. He sighed heavily and stopped to watch the snow that was still falling lightly to the ground. He didn't know why he was feeling so glum. It wasn't the first time Wilson had ditched him on a Saturday. Maybe it was why he was ditching him, he thought. He rubbed his scruffy chin and eyed the orange vial that was sitting on top of his piano, screaming at him to open it. It didn't take much enticing. He grabbed the vial, popped off the lid and tossed two vicodin into his mouth, washing it down with the scotch that was sitting next to it. He looked over his shoulder at the expensive clock sitting on his mantle and saw it was almost six thirty. Again, he wondered where Wilson was meeting Cameron. He knew the two of them had become closer but how close? _Would she_ _turn to Wilson because she is having problems with Chase? Wilson was great at consoling needy females, exactly what a distraught Cameron would need. And what is there not to like about Cameron? She is gorgeous, sexy, caring, funny._ House stopped himself. _What am I doing? Cameron's everything I despise, except for the sexy part and the last thing I need is to be thinking about her like that when she is going to be working next to me again. _He shook the thoughts from his head.

His stomach rumbled reminding him it was empty and needed attention. He picked up his cell phone and scanned for the programmed number for his favorite pizza place and ordered a large all meat pizza. He continued t play with the ivory keys when a wicked smile crossed his lips. He decided he would wait until somewhere around seven thirty before he started torturing Wilson with phone calls. He figured he and Cameron would have their food in front of them around that time, knowing the interruptions would agitate Wilson more. The decision seemed to please him, lifting his spirits a little while he waited for his pizza.


	22. Wilson & Cuddy's Date

***************

**Chapter 22**

Lisa slipped on the dark blue dress that snugly fit her slender body. It was one of her favorites and she hoped it was the right choice for the evening. She wanted to look really good tonight… to feel different. She wanted to feel like a woman on a date and not the chief administrator of a hospital having dinner with a colleague. She heard the doorbell and her heart fluttered. She glanced in the mirror one more time before she skipped down the stairs to the front door.

Wilson stood outside Lisa's door, taking a deep breath, trying to untie the large knot that had formed in the pit of his stomach. He didn't like it when he was this nervous. A minute later, a stunning Lisa Cuddy opened the door and he had to take her in for second before speaking. He gave her a boyish grin and said hello.

Lisa could tell by the look on Wilson's face that she had made the right choice with the dress. "Hello James." She said with a luring smile. "Come in. I need to grab my coat and purse and I'll be ready."

"Sure, take your time." He said as he watched her walk across the room noticing how the dark blue dress hung nicely to her curves.

She walked over and held her coat out to him so he could help her, which he did.

"You look great." He said.

"Thank you. So do you."

"Thanks." He answered as he held open the front door and then waited while she locked it.

Lisa turned to find Wilson holding out his arm for her to take a hold of and they walked to his car. She couldn't deny the warm tingle she felt with him being so close, her holding on to his arm and the masculine scent of his cologne filling the air.

Once they were both in the car and he was backing out of her driveway, he turned to her. "Are you still up for French food?"

"Definitely."

They were quiet as they drove to the restaurant, both feeling a little awkward, when Lisa broke the silence.

"You know, I have to admit that I am nervous about tonight."

Wilson gave a little laugh. "Me too. It definitely changes things when you add the word _date_ to the equation, doesn't it?"

"Yes it does but I like it. I'm glad you asked me." She said softly and gave him an enticing look.

Wilson's breath caught in his throat when he looked into her eyes. "I'm glad I asked too."

They continued to make small talk as they drove to the restaurant, all the while knowing that tonight was going to change everything between them.


	23. Chase & Cameron break up

****************

**Chapter 23**

Cameron stood nervously outside Chase's door, holding a bottle of wine, waiting for him to answer.

A minute later he opened the door. "Hey. You could have just come in." He said somewhat irritated that he had to answer the door.

Cameron walked in and took off her coat feeling a little out of place. It had been a couple of weeks since she had been in his apartment. She glanced around the room to see if anything was new or different.

Chase shut the door and walked over and gave her a peck on the top of her head and didn't seem to notice the awkwardness she was feeling. "I hope you don't mind Chinese. I placed an order and it should be here soon." He said over his shoulder as he walked into the kitchen.

Cameron didn't like Chase's little peck on her head. It felt impersonal to her but she shrugged off the feeling and followed him into the kitchen. "Chinese sounds great. Do you want a glass of wine?" She asked.

"Yeah. That sounds good. While you are pouring the wine, I'm going to step into the other room and make a quick phone call. I'll be back in a minute." He said and walked towards his bedroom.

Cameron stared at the back of Chase's head as he walked into his bedroom and pushed the door to. She couldn't help but wonder why he felt the need to talk behind a closed door. She took her focus off of the closed door and took down two glasses from the top shelf of the cabinet and filled them half way with the wine she brought and proceeded to the living room to wait.

A few minutes later, as promised, Chase walked out of the bedroom to join her when the doorbell rang. It was the delivery boy with their dinner.

Cameron wanted to ask Chase who he had made the phone call to but was afraid he wouldn't tell her, making the situation more awkward between them. Under normal circumstances, she would have asked without giving it any thought or he would have just told her but not this time. She didn't ask and he didn't offer.

They filled their plates with the variety of food and proceeded to eat while sitting on the sofa, watching Pirates of the Caribbean, which was one of Chase's favorite movies, neither one saying very much.

Cameron only nibbled at her food. She had too much on her mind to really think about eating. Chase was so involved in the movie, he didn't notice when she went to get the bottle of wine. When she came back into the room she took a deep breath, picked up the remote and pushed the mute button.

Chase didn't say anything, only sighed.

Cameron sat down beside him again, her knee brushing up against his. "We need to talk Chase." She said as she filled both their wine glasses again.

He leaned back into the sofa and swished the red liquid around in his glass for a minute contemplating what to say.

"I don't know where to begin." Cameron said first.

"What do you want Allison?" Chase suddenly said.

His question surprised her and she looked at him curiously. "What do you mean?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "It's a simple question. What do you want?"

Cameron stared at him for a few seconds, already not liking where the conversation was going. "It's not a simple question Chase but if you're asking what I want right now, I want us to work this out, to find a way to be together."

"Without you giving anything up?" He asked, his tone becoming colder.

Cameron could hear his tone change. "Are you talking about me working for House?"

"That's exactly what I'm talking about. You want everything your way."

Cameron took a big sip of her wine. "No I don't."

"You do from my point of view." He said, his Australian accent growing stronger.

Cameron sighed and collected her thoughts before continuing. "So, are you saying that if I don't tell House I have reconsidered working for him, that you and I are over?" She stared hard at him, waiting for his answer.

Chase leaned forward and looked away from her. "No. I'm not saying that but I'm really at the end of my rope here."

Cameron looked at him with a smirk. "What does that mean, at the end of your rope?"

"It means that I'm tired of you hanging on to House, which is what you are doing by working for him again."

"It does not." Cameron said, her voice elevated slightly. "I want to work in diagnostics again Chase." "Then why can't you work at a different hospital? I'll tell you why! Because House isn't at the other hospitals." He snapped.

"That is not fair. You knew that when I quit, I wanted to stay at Plainsboro. It was _you_ who wanted to go somewhere else. I only agreed because you made me feel guilty." "C'mon Allison. Don't give me that shit! You didn't want to leave because of House and when Cuddy called, it was your ticket to stay."

"As much as you hate him Chase, he is the best in the country and to work with him, not as his student, but to actually work with him in his department will advance my career. Why do I have to keep defending myself anyway? Can't you trust me?" She said, trying to hold back the river of emotion that was screaming to escape.

"God Allison." He said more calmly than he felt. "Why can't you understand that you working for House is a problem for me?"

They sat quietly looking away from the other, both caught up in their own thoughts.

After a few long minutes, Cameron laid her hand on his leg. "Can we just work through this? Take it one day at a time?" She said in a pleading voice.

Chase looked at her and saw all the emotion in her green eyes. Without thinking, he reached up and touched her face and leaned in and kissed her deeply.

Cameron let his tongue run over her lips and enter her mouth, tasting her. She leaned in closer. She had desperately missed his touch.

The kiss intensified and Chase pulled her closer. He had missed her soft lips, the way she tasted and the smell of her skin but doubt clouded his head again and he pulled back slightly. "Do you love me Allison?" He whispered against her lips.

Cameron's body instantly tensed and she pulled back to look into his eyes. Her own eyes glistening with tears. "A part of me loves you. I'm trying." She said softly.

Chase pulled completely away from her. "Are you ever going to give yourself completely to me?" He asked.

"I'm trying Chase. I know I won't betray you." She reached out to take his hand but he pulled it away before she could touch him and stood up.

Cameron's heart hit the ground, draining her of all hope. She knew it was over. She couldn't stop the tears that were now falling freely down her face.

Chase looked down at her. "I want to believe you Allison but I'm having a hard time doing that. I need to step away from us for awhile… to see how I feel or if I want to try and make things work between us."

Cameron stood and avoided his stare. She knew there was nothing else to say or do but give him the time he needed. "I understand." She said barely above a whisper. "I need to go."

Chase let her walk past him and watched as she put her coat on. "Allison, I'm sorry." He said softly to her.

She raised her hand to stop him from talking. "It's okay. I'm sorry too."

Without another word, she walked out the door and ran to her car, standing outside her her door, fumbling for the keys. Once she unlocked the door, she quickly climbed in and stared out the windshield, trying to breathe. She was numb but it wasn't from the cold. She looked back at his door and wanted so badly to run back in and tell him she would do what he wanted but she knew she couldn't do that and it broke her heart. She started her jeep when she heard the vibrating of her phone that was tucked in her purse. She reached in and pulled it out to find that she had four missed calls from House, of all people. She shook her head. For a brief second she considered calling him back but decided the last person she needed to talk to right now, was House. Instead, she turned off her phone and slipped in back into her purse and headed home.

As she pulled away from the curb, tears were still falling down her face, she didn't notice the dark colored car that pulled out behind her and followed her down the street.


	24. House calls Wilson

****************

**Chapter 24**

Wilson waited until Lisa went to the ladies room, before he looked at his phone to find he had nine missed calls from House. _This is ridiculous! _He thought_. No telling how many times he has called Allison._ He angrily dialed House's number.

The phone barely rang once when House answered it. "It's about damn time. What if I were having an emergency?"

"The only emergency you are having is your head is up your ass. We both know why you are calling, so stop it. I'm not going to answer and I'm not going to call you back." Wilson spat.

House loved that he had agitated Wilson. "What is she wearing?"

"What?"

"Cameron. What is she wearing?"

"House this is stupid. Shouldn't you just call one of those 900 numbers?"

"Just tell me."

Wilson sighed and decided to amuse his friend, knowing if he gave him what he wanted he might stop calling. "She's wearing black slacks and a white sweater."

"How is she wearing her hair?"

Wilson quickly thought about how Cameron wore her hair. "It's pulled back in a pony tail."

House was silent for a minute. "Does she have lot of make up on?"

"House. Enough! Why the questions?" He whispered loudly into the phone, while watching over his shoulder for any signs of Lisa. The couple sitting at the table next to his, gave him a curious look. Wilson gave them a wry smile and turned away, hating House more.

House continued. "Because if she wears her hair down and took time with her makeup, it means she's interested in you and tonight is personal. But if her hair is up in a ponytail and she's not wearing a lot of makeup, it's not personal and she's _not_ trying to impress you."

"How do you know that? Is this just Cameron or every woman?"

"Cameron. I did learn something the three years she worked for me."

"I really doubt that." Wilson said in a skeptical tone. "So you have been calling to see if Cameron has been hitting on me?"

House didn't answer and Wilson continued. "I thought you were concerned about me taking advantage of her tonight?" Wilson asked referring to the comment House had made earlier.

"Precisely. I didn't want you to take advantage of Cameron coming on to you because she is delirious with emotion."

Wilson couldn't help but smile. "You are so full of shit House. You called because you can't stand the idea of me and Cameron being more than friends. You're jealous."

"I am not and if you are going to analyze the situation, then you need to do it right. I'm just concerned about Cameron and you taking advantage of her emotional state."

Wilson was completely amused. "Why don't you just admit that you feel something for Cameron?"

"Because I don't." House was starting to feel like he was being backed into a corner and he didn't like it.

"Right. Keep telling yourself that. It's being working for the last four years."

House sighed and looked up at the ceiling. "I should have known you would twist this around."

"When are you going to learn that the heart never lies?" Wilson said the comment without giving it much thought.

House stared outside and paused... then in a low, serious tone, he answered. "I don't have a heart, remember?"

Wilson realized he had hit home with his comment. He didn't hear House use that tone too often. He looked over his shoulder to see Lisa walking back towards the table. "I'm hanging up now House. Don't call me again." Wilson said sternly.

House didn't smile when he heard the click on the other end. Wilson's words had hit a nerve, leaving him to wonder if they held any truth or not.

He took his empty glass and filled it again with scotch, lit a cigar and sat back down at his piano and began to play the song 'Something in the way she moves,' by the Beatles. Why he chose this song, he didn't know for sure but it seemed to fit the moment.

He thought about tomorrow, Cameron's first day and wondered why he had really asked her back. _Was there some hidden reason to why I did it?_ He wondered. _Damn_ _Wilson for making me think about it._

The music filled the silent room and House finally began to relax. A smile crossed his lips as he thought about all the possibilities tomorrow and the days that followed, held.

He closed his eyes and let himself enjoy what was left of the evening.


	25. Cameron's First Day

****************

**Chapter 25**

Monday Morning… Cameron's First Day

It was seven ten a.m. when Cameron walked down the hall of the fourth floor. She couldn't help notice how eerily quiet it was. In another hour these same walls would be consumed with chaos. She stopped in front of the glass door that read Diagnostics and stared at the prestigious word for a few seconds before she pulled out of her pocket, the brass key House had given her and stuck it into the small keyhole and turned it. The click of the lock echoed throughout the hallway. She slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside and let the wave of familiarity wash over her. She honestly never thought she would be doing this again.

She tossed her bag and coat on one of the chairs and looked around the room. Nothing looked different except for the notorious white board which was new and more modern looking. House's colored markers were in the tray, as always; the oblong table was the same, even the red mug, House's favorite, was in the small sink where he placed it every evening. Nothing was different, she thought, except for her.

She wasn't sure what to do first. So, she did what felt normal and walked to the sink, washed the red mug, sat it to the side and started a pot of coffee. She then proceeded to House's office, walked to the window and opened the blinds to let the morning light stream across the semi-dark room. She turned to look at the objects throughout the room, not really focusing on one thing, when a feeling of calmness swept over her. It amazed her, after everything, how normal it felt to be there. Her eyes fell upon the stack of mail that was piled on the side of House's desk and a half smile crossed her pretty pink lips. She walked over and picked up the stack and began tossing out the junk mail and putting aside the important stuff. She laughed when she thought that if it were House doing this, he would do just the opposite and throw out the important stuff and keep the junk mail. After taking care of his mail she sat down in his chair, like she had done so many times before and turned on his computer. She used the same password he has had for the past four years, to log into his email and was somewhat surprised to find that he had two hundred and fifty emails waiting for his attention._ Unbelievable_, she said out loud. She was going through the array of messages when she heard someone walk into the other room. She didn't look up to see who it was but did glance at her watch to see it was already eight o'clock.

Taub saw that the door to House's office was open and wondered why his boss was in so early. He hung up his black coat, poured a cup of coffee and proceeded into the adjoining room and was definitely surprised to find Cameron sitting at the cluttered desk.

"Hi Cameron." He said in a surprised tone.

"Hey." She answered as she continued to click away at the emails.

Taub watched her carefully as he moved closer to the desk. "So, why are you here?"

"Uhhh. I work here." She said, suppressing the grin that so wanted to display itself.

"Really? For the day? A special project?" He asked as he sipped his coffee.

"No. I'm here permanently."

Taub choked on the sip of coffee in his mouth. "You're what?"

Cameron heard him choke and looked at him. "Are you okay?"

Taub was coughing but managed to acknowledge by a shake of his head that he was okay and wiped the drips of coffee that had dribbled down his chin.

"Did you say permanently?" Alarm bells were going off in Taub's head wondering why House would have hired Cameron back unless it was to replace one of them.

"Yep, as of today." She said, this time she let the grin display itself across her mouth.

He was just about to say something else when he heard Kutner and Remy walk in and he walked back into the other room to talk to them.

"Cameron's in there and she says she's working here, in diagnostics again. Did either of you know about it?"

Kutner smiled. "Cameron's working here? Great." He said with a smile and went to talk to her.

Taub shot Kutner an annoyed look, then turned his attention back to Remy. "Did you know about this?"

"No." She said with a confused look on her face. "Why would House hire her back? That doesn't make any sense."

Taub looked at her curiously. "Why?"

"I heard something as to why she really resigned and if it's true, it doesn't make sense for House to hire her back."

"What did you hear?" Taub anxiously waited to hear what she had heard when Forman walked in and they quickly stopped talking.

Foreman gave them both a curious look and wondered what they were secretly talking about when Cameron and Kutner stepped into the room. He suddenly understood what the topic of conversation was between Taub and Remy.

"Hi Foreman." Cameron said with a smile.

"Hey Cam." Foreman answered and proceeded to the pot of coffee.

Taub saw the exchanged looks between Cameron and Foreman. "It seems at least one of us knew what was going on."

Foreman shot Taub a look over the top of his coffee cup.

Just then House swung open the door and saw the stunned looks on everyone's face. He limped across the room, feeling the weight of their stare. "What?" He snarled.

Taub spoke first. "You're here early. Let me guess why.' He said sarcastically. House ignored Taub's sarcastic remark. "I'm guessing everyone knows who our new playmate is." He shot Cameron a look as he made his way to the coffeepot. "That better be _your_ coffee." He said to her and tossed his bag on the floor and grabbed his red mug, filled it to the brim and took a sip. It was heaven going down. "If you do nothing else, just make sure you continue doing this."

Cameron smiled inwardly. "Nice to know all my education wasn't for nothing."

"Okay people. Good news, for us anyway. A new patient is coming in this morning." House said as he tossed a blue file on the table.

"Thank God." Foreman said with relief and picked up the file.

House turned his attention to the blank white board and grabbed the black marker out of the tray. "Foreman, start giving me symptoms."

Foreman scanned the pages inside the folder. "Looks like we have a 28 year old male who has had a rash on his upper body, fever and headache for the past five days. Fever increased to 104 yesterday and has remained at 103 and 104." Foreman slid the file across the table to Cameron, who opened it so she and Kutner could look at it.

House stood back and stared at the symptoms. "We need more. Remy and Taub get a family history, Kutner draw some blood and start the usual tests."

Taub was annoyed that House was avoiding the Cameron issue. "That's it? What about Cameron?"

Cameron looked at Taub with a furrowed brow.

House on the other hand, was amused at Taub's insecurity. He turned to look at him. "Does Cameron being here bother you?"

"It depends." "On?"

"Why she's here. Did she ask to come back?"

Cameron let out a little laugh. "I'm standing right here. You can ask me."

Taub ignored Cameron and continued to stare at House, waiting for an answer.

"I asked Cameron back." House admitted.

This clearly shocked Remy. "Why?" She said it more coldly than she meant to.

"Because I wanted her back. Do you have a problem with that?" House said in a slightly agitated tone.

"Did you hire her because you are firing one of us?" Taub persisted.

"That's what I love about you Taub. You are always looking out for number one." House started walking to his office without giving Taub an answer. "Get to work."

"But…" Taub tried again. "That wasn't a question, Dr. Taub." House turned and gave Taub a stern look.

Taub took the hint and followed the others out of the room.

House caught Cameron before she walked out the door. "Cameron. Come hither."

Cameron raised her eyebrow and followed him into his office wondering what he wanted.

As House walked into his office for the first time this morning, he glanced at the stack of mail that was now neatly stacked in the center of his desk. "I see you have started going through my mail. Find anything interesting?" He asked.

"Not really but you having two hundred and fifty emails is interesting. Why haven't you been answering them?" Cameron asked as she stood in front of his desk with her hands on her hips.

"I don't like going through my mail. I find it boring and I don't like reading emails unless they contain porn or don't you remember?" He said truthfully as he sat down at his desk.

"I started answering the emails that were marked urgent and I deleted about a hundred that had no purpose."

House gave her a gasp. "I hope you didn't delete any porn."

Cameron rolled her eyes. "They were the first to go."

House smiled.

Cameron continued. "You might want to check the others. You still have some marked urgent that I didn't get to. I shudder to think what your patient files look like."

"You might want to have a stiff drink before you look at the those."

Cameron sighed. "Great. I'm surprised Cuddy hasn't been riding your ass."

"Cuddy is always riding my ass. She likes it."

"I bet she does." Cameron said sarcastically causing House to look at her. "What did you need?" She asked.

"What?"

"You said you wanted to see me."

"I said come hither and you obeyed. Just wanted to see if it still worked and it did. Already seems like old times, doesn't it?"

"House." Cameron said annoyed.

"Tell me you haven't missed me." He teased.

"So, there was no purpose for you asking me to stay behind?"

House really looked at her for the first time this morning. She wasn't in her pink scrubs. She had on black slacks that showed off her ass nicely. The white button up rayon shirt was shear and flowed attractively over her breasts. Her hair was pulled back in a pony tail and it bounced when she walked. She looked really good, he thought. He suddenly realized he was staring and not talking.

Cameron didn't miss how his eyes roamed over her and she could feel the heat rising in her face.

"I had a reason. (pause) What did you do this weekend?"

"Now you want to know how I spent my weekend?" She knew where the conversation was going.

"Thought maybe you spent it with someone interesting." He said slyly.

"You can stop playing your little game. I already know that Wilson told you about us having dinner together. Did he tell you we slept together?" She said without any expression on her face.

House stared hard at her, trying to read her expression. _Is she serious?_ He wondered, his stomach doing somersaults.

"By the look on your face, you don't tell each other everything." She said, still without any expression.

"He didn't mention that piece of information when I talked to him yesterday. What does your Aussie boyfriend say about that?"

"You mean Chase?" Cameron spat out his name. "He decided we needed to take a break from one another. I was upset and one thing led to another."

House wasn't sure how to take this new information. "And you're just offering this information to me?" He asked cautiously.

"Actually, I figured James would have already told you. I'm surprised. Anyway, can I go now? I don't want the others to think I'm getting preferential treatment." She said with a mischievous grin.

House didn't miss the grin and nodded for her to leave.

He waited until he heard her heels clack down the hall and jumped up and headed straight to Wilson's office. He entered the office to find it empty. _Shit!_ He said under his breath. He rubbed his chin and dialed Wilson's number. He let it ring until it went to his voicemail. He hung up without leaving a message. He decided there was only one thing to do and that was to sit on Wilson's leather sofa and wait. He thought about the news Cameron just threw at him and two things she said stuck in his head. She called Wilson by his first name and was she lying about her and Chase taking a break from one another? And of course there was the part about the two of them sleeping together.

He glanced at his watch. Where the hell was Wilson?!


	26. Steven Mayer

****************

**Chapter 26**

Steven Mayer leaned against his dark blue Toyota Corolla and zipped up the fleece lined jacket to his neck as the cold air whipped across the parking lot. _You wouldn't know spring is around the corner_, he thought and took another long drag of the menthol cigarette he swore he wasn't going to smoke any more. He breathed the cold air in deeply and tried to digest the turn of events that had rocked his world this morning.

He awoke, expecting it to be a normal Monday morning when a phone call from his younger sister, who lives in Chicago, changed that thought. She was calling to inform him that she was finally leaving her no good husband and that she and his four year old niece would be needing a place to stay for a couple of weeks. This was not the best time for her to visit but he wouldn't turn his only sister away. She would arrive later this week and take up space in the extra bedroom of the home that he had modestly furnished. Having his sister's presence would definitely hinder his plans but the news didn't completely ruin his morning. Little did he know that was about to change.

When he pulled into the hospital parking lot, he was surprised to see Allison's car already there. This pleased him, to say the least. He headed into the hospital to begin the routine he had been doing for the last six years. He took the elevator down to the basement and entered the small office and clocked in. He poured coffee into his brown travel mug and headed towards the ER. As he entered through the double doors, he immediately scanned the room for the attractive blonde doctor he was so obsessed with but he didn't see her. He presumed she was busy with a patient behind one of the green curtains and continued to walk around, pretending to be there for a purpose, waiting for her to appear. As he passed by the break room, he overheard two gossipy nurses talking about something that made him stop dead in his tracks.

"_Dr._ _Cameron_" they whispered, had gone back to work for Dr. House.

This piece of news shocked him and he was positive they were wrong with their information. He was certain Allison wouldn't go back to Dr. House, not after all the times he had hurt her. Still the news didn't sit well with him, so he darted up the stairs to the fourth floor to find out for himself. He walked slowly down the hall, his fingers tingling with anticipation as he approached the room enclosed with glass walls. His breath quickened as he got a glimpse of her long blonde hair. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. There she was, sitting with the others, listening to the arrogant Dr. House speak. His heart was beating so hard, it felt like his chest was going to explode.

He quickly ran up the stairs to the outside balcony on the fifth floor and leaned over the edge to catch his breath. _What is she thinking! How can she go back to him?!_ The loud voice kept saying over and over in his head. The thought of her working with that bastard again made him sick to his stomach and he thought he was going to throw up the greasy egg sandwich he had consumed for breakfast. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut until the voice in his head silenced and the tightness in his chest went away. He took in several deep breaths to clear his head when it occurred to him that this move by her had gone completely undetected by him and he wondered how had he missed it with him watching her so closely. It never occurred to him that she would go back to Dr. House. It was one thing to remove her controlling boyfriend from the scenario, that would be easy since he had practically done that himself with his extra curricular activities but Dr. House was a different story. He was, by far, a stronger force in Allison's life.

He looked across the parking lot full of cars, watching the people come and go and lit another cigarette. He thought back to the first time he laid eyes on the stunning Dr. Cameron, three years ago. Her beautiful face and sweet voice had taken his breath away the minute he saw her. She was not like all the other doctors who would walk pass him like he didn't exist. Allison talked to him. She didn't seem to mind that he was nothing more than a security guard with measly pay. She saw him as a real person. Of course, three years ago he was still married and it was important for him to be faithful to his wife and son. He wasn't free and able to show her how much he wanted to be with her. That didn't mean he didn't think about her every day. Even when she resigned and left the hospital for that short time, he knew their paths would cross again and when she returned, he knew he had been given a gift and accepted it with open arms. By that time, his wife had divorced him and taken their son and left, leaving him free to give his love to the one woman he knew he was meant to be with and it was up to him to make Allison understand that. This is why he started leaving her notes, hoping they would open a door for him but it didn't seem to be working the way he had planned. He would have to try another approach.

He took the last puff of his cigarette and tossed it into the bushes, where he always did and looked at his watch. He slowly started walking back towards the hospital. He was definitely not happy with the news. Dr. House would no doubt present a problem and he wasn't sure how he was going to deal with it. However, his mood was slightly better than when he first stepped outside. He had been so furious earlier, he would have killed someone had the opportunity presented itself… but he hadn't done that in a very long time and was trying to keep that demon asleep for as long as he could. Perhaps his sister and niece staying with him for a while wasn't such a bad idea. This would give him time to think and re-assess the situation. With his sister here, he would be more apt to control his urges and remain calm.

As he walked through the front doors of the hospital, he ran right into Dr. Cuddy's young assistant causing her to spill her drink down the front of her cream colored jacket.

"Watch where you're going!" She rudely shouted causing other people passing by to stare. She started wiping off the front of her jacket. "Look what you did!"

"I'm sorry. Let me help." Steven said in a low, apologetic voice.

She shoved his hand away. "Don't touch me," Christy said with the flip of her hand dismissing him.

Steven stood back and stared at her, watching her frantically wipe away the liquid that was rolling down the front of her jacket.

She shot him another cold look and continued out the door.

Steven watched her sway her slender hips across the parking lot. _She is one self righteous little bitch, _he thought. _Should I need to let off some steam, she's first on my list._ He smiled a wicked smile and continued to the elevators.


	27. House & Thirteen

****************

**Chapter 27**

House waited on Wilson's sofa for almost half an hour when he finally gave up and went back to his office. He was not happy his best friend hadn't returned any of his calls yet. The last time he called, he left a message telling Wilson to call him because he had some interesting news he wanted to share with him.

He sat down at his desk and picked up the blue file again. He needed something to keep his mind off of Cameron and Wilson sleeping together and began to study his newest patient's symptoms more thoroughly. He heard a noise in the other room and glanced up to see it was Thirteen.

"What are you doing back here?" He called out.

"I came back for my phone." She said and walked over to stand in his doorway. She stared at him, contemplating on asking him what was on her mind.

House could sense that she wanted to say something. "Say it or leave." He said in a low tone.

"Why did you hire Cameron back?" She asked and walked further into the room.

House wasn't expecting her to ask that. "Why? Afraid of being fired too? I thought Taub was the only insecure one?"

"I'm not insecure and I'm not afraid of being fired. I'm just wondering why you hired her. We don't need another person on our team." She stated with an air of arrogance.

House closed the file and tilted his head to the side and looked at her. "I think it's up to my discretion on how many people I need or want on _my_ team."

"Why didn't you say anything to us?" She asked.

"I didn't realize I needed to clear it with you first." He said in a sarcastic tone. "What do you have against Cameron?"

Remy shrugged her shoulders. "Nothing, I suppose. I'm just surprised, that's all."

"Why?"

"I thought Cameron left for… personal reasons?"

"Do you know something I don't know?" He asked curiously.

Remy looked down at the floor then back at House's intense stare. "She was in love with you, right?" She asked.

House leaned back in his chair and placed his hands behind his head. A smile crept across his mouth. "Where are you getting your information?"

"I've just heard certain things."

"Really. Enlighten me." He said in an amused tone.

Remy shrugged her shoulders. "I've just heard some things."

"I didn't take you for a gossiper."

"Everyone gossips." She said with a raised eyebrow.

House suddenly leaned forward and gave her a hard smirk. "And everyone lies." He opened the file again. "I suggest you keep your little comments to yourself."

His tone was abruptly cold, surprising her.

"I just find it odd that you would hire her back." She pressed again.

"My relationship with Cameron, past or present, is my business and hers. I hired her because I want her here, end of story. I suggest you learn to play nicely on the play ground because she is here to stay." He gave her a stern look.

"Sure." She said quietly and left the room.

House turned his attention back to the file, however it's contents didn't interest him any more. He wanted to know where Thirteen got her information and where the hell Wilson was.


	28. House confronts Wilson about Cameron

****************

**Chapter 28**

Wilson's consult in Cuddy's office took longer than he had expected. Once the meeting was over, he hurried out and looked at his phone to see that he had several missed calls and messages. House and Cameron were two of his missed calls. God he hoped Cameron hadn't spilled the beans about what really happened this weekend. He wasn't ready to tell House the truth yet. As he rode down in the elevator, he thought about Lisa and how surprisingly comfortable he had been around her this morning. He wasn't sure what it was going to be like since their date Saturday night. A couple of times during the meeting, they had looked at each other as if they were both silently telling one another they wanted more. He smiled when he thought about the kiss at the end of the night. It had been intense and passionate. Just the thought of it, aroused him. He shook his head of the thought. He definitely needed something to take his mind off of Lisa and the kiss and when the elevator doors opened, he immediately went to House's office.

He opened up the door to find House sitting at his desk, reading a file. "Hey. What's up?" He asked as he walked in, hoping he didn't sound too unsettled.

"So, you did decide to show up today." House said, not hiding the fact that he was annoyed.

Wilson sat down in one of the cushy chairs, trying to get a sense of his cantankerous friend's mood. "Of course I showed up. Why wouldn't I?"

"I wouldn't know since you haven't bothered to return any of my calls." House, at the moment, was more agitated about Wilson not calling him back than what Cameron had told him.

"I was busy." Wilson said making gestures with his hands. "I had a nine a.m. consult in Cuddy's office." Wilson stated and waited for House to tell him what's going on.

"And how is Cuddles this morning?" House asked, dancing around the issue.

"Fine I guess. She was Cuddy. Are you going to tell me what you wanted?"

House leaned forward and stared at Wilson for a few seconds before continuing. "I spoke with Cameron this morning."

Alarms starting going off in Wilson's head. "And?"

House rubbed his chin. A sign that he had something on his mind. "And, she told me something interesting."

Wilson glanced away from House's gaze. He hated that House was dragging this out. "What?"

"It seems you neglected to tell me everything about your weekend."

Wilson squirmed a little in his chair. He had hoped Cameron hadn't said anything but he was afraid that his fear was about to be confirmed. "I don't know what I didn't tell." He wasn't going to say anything just in case House didn't know.

"You neglected to tell me about the part where the two of you slept together?" House watched Wilson's face closely.

Wilson's mouth fell open, clearly shocked. He wished he had taken the time to return Cameron's call this morning. "What did you just say?"

A devious smile crossed House's lips. "You heard me."

Wilson was still letting the comment sink into his brain. "Cameron told you we slept together?"

"Well, I didn't hear it from the janitor, at least not yet." House said sarcastically.

"Well..." Wilson paused clearly not sure what to say. "Yeah. I'm surprised she told you." He said, his head spinning. "Actually, I am too." House said leaning back in his chair.

"What did you say to her that made her tell you that?"

"I asked her about your dinner and she said something sickening nice about you and then she spilled the part about the two of you doing the horizontal bop." He paused. "Completely not like her."

"I agree. It's not like her at all." Wilson said, wondering what in the hell possessed Cameron to say such a thing. He really wished he would have called her.

"I find it interesting that you didn't tell me"

Wilson was still dumbfounded and just shook his head. "I didn't want to talk about it yet."

House squinted his eyes and gave Wilson the look he gives when he doesn't believe him. "You're lying."

"No, I'm not." Wilson stumbled over his words.

House continued to stare at him intensely, still not sure if he and Cameron were telling the truth or if they were lying.

Wilson felt very uneasy with the silence in the room. It wasn't often he and House were at a loss for words with one another. "It feels like an elephant has entered the room."

House laughed a little. "That's a stupid cliché." He stood and walked to his window and looked out.

Wilson watched as House's body tensed. "Does the fact I didn't tell you bother you or that I'm sleeping with Cameron bother you more?" He managed to spit out.

"I just never thought of you two doing the naughty together." House stated quietly.

Wilson watched House's facial expressions. "You are upset that I slept with her."

"Why would I be upset? I'm not interested in Cameron." House tried to play it off like he wasn't bothered by the news.

Wilson suddenly felt guilty for not being upfront with House and was just about to tell him the truth when House interrupted his thoughts.

"You know, either the two of you really did sleep together or you're hiding something and Cameron's helping you hide it."

Wilson shook his head. "Look, no one's hiding anything from you. Cameron and I …"

"Save it for later. I'm suddenly not in the mood." House said abruptly.

Wilson was surprised at House's tone and stood to leave. "I have another consult in twenty minutes. Do you want to grab some lunch afterwards?"

House rubbed his chin again. "Can't. New patient."

"Okay. Maybe a beer after work."

"Maybe." House walked back to his desk and picked up the file.

Wilson nodded and knew the conversation was over. Once he was back in his office, he immediately called Cameron.


	29. Wilson confronts Cameron

*****************

**Chapter 29**

The team had been working diligently throughout the morning trying to diagnose their newest patient, Jeremy Atkinson. They all knew it was imperative to find something soon that would give them a clue to what was causing his illness or he probably wouldn't last more than a couple of days, given the condition he was in.

Cameron looked up from the microscope and rubbed her tired eyes. She glanced over at Kutner, who was busy running other tests.

"I need coffee. Do you want any?" She asked now standing, stretching her arms above her head.

Kutner stopped what he was doing and watched her stretch.

She looked over and caught him watching her. "What?"

Kutner crossed his arms in front of him. "Just thinking that it's going to be nice having you around." He said truthfully.

Cameron smiled. "Thanks. I'm glad to be here even if…" She stopped herself.

He looked at her curiously. "What?"

She shook her head and looked away. "Nothing." She didn't want to talk about Chase yet. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"No, I'm good." Wondering what she was going to say.

"Okay. I won't be too long. I just need to step away from this for a few."

"Okay. I'll hold down the fort." He went back to what he was doing and Cameron took off for the coffee bar on the second floor.

As she was standing in line to order her skim vanilla latte, she heard her name being called and turned to see Wilson heading her way. She prepared herself as he walked towards her.

"There you are. I tried calling you this morning." He whispered loudly.

"And I tried calling you also." She said and gave the young woman her coffee order. "Would you like something?" She interrupted him.

Wilson thought for a second. "A large coffee, black" He said to the young woman behind the counter and then turned his attention back to Cameron.

"Did you try to call me before you decided to tell House we slept together or after?" He said in an exasperated tone.

Cameron glanced around nervously. "Shhh. Lower your voice."

They walked across the large common area and stood by the large windows where no one could hear them talking.

"What possessed you to tell him that?" Wilson asked.

"I don't know. It just came out. I was afraid he was going to start asking questions about our _dinner_ and I wasn't going to be able to answer them. So, I threw him a curve ball."

"Oh, it was definitely a curve ball. I just wish I would have known it was coming." "I'm sorry. I tried to warn you. What did he say?"

"He wanted to know why I didn't tell him that I slept with you." Wilson said.

"What did you say?"

"A bunch of BS that I'm not sure he bought."

"I will tell him the truth." She said, trying to calm Wilson down.

"And what would that be exactly?"

"That we didn't sleep together."

"Then he is going to ask why you said that we did. He already suspects we are hiding something, which we are."

"James, just tell him about you and Lisa. He's a big boy and so are you. If you and Lisa are going to see each other then House will have to deal with it."

"It's just that…" He paused and looked away.

"What?" She asked curiously.

"I'm not sure how he's going to react. I get the feeling that he and Lisa have a thing for each other."

Cameron raised an eyebrow. "And that surprises you? They have always had a thing for each other but that shouldn't stop you. If House likes Lisa, then he should step up and tell her. It doesn't mean you can't. Quit trying to protect him."

Wilson glanced at her shyly.

"You know, he didn't like the idea of me sleeping with you either."

"That's because House has to be involved in everything. He doesn't like not knowing. It has nothing to do with me." She said with surety.

"I'm not so sure about that. You didn't see his face today when he asked me about the sleeping thing."

Cameron looked at Wilson. "If you are implying that House is interested in me, that's crazy. He just doesn't like the fact that you are hiding something from him. You are his best friend and he thinks there shouldn't be any secrets between you two. He's a child." She said with a little laugh.

Wilson gave Cameron a long look and laughed. "I know you're right. This is stupid and the longer I let this drag out, the worse it's going to be." He gave her a smile. "I'll tell him later today and I will also tell him that I begged you to cover for me."

Cameron laughed. "I told you, I can handle House."

"Right." He paused for a minute and took a sip of his coffee, then asked her about Chase. "What happened with you and Chase Saturday night?"

Cameron's smile instantly disappeared. "We broke up." She answered without hesitation.

Wilson's mouth fell open. "Allison, I'm sorry."

Cameron waved her hand in the air to stop him from apologizing. "It's been coming for a while. He still thinks I care about House and by me accepting this job, it only pushed him further away."

"Well, he's an idiot. You know if you need to talk, I'm here." Wilson said and reached out and took her hand and gave it a small squeeze.

She smiled again. "I know."

House rounded the corner just in time to see Wilson holding Cameron's hand. "Well, if it isn't the love birds." He yelled across the room, causing all eyes to fall upon Cameron and Wilson.

Cameron closed her eyes and sighed.

"Unbelievable." Wilson said under his breath and let go of Cameron's hand.

House limped towards them, taking out the orange vile and popped a vicodin into his mouth. "I see you two can't keep your hands off of each other." He looked directly at Cameron. "Shouldn't you be saving our patient and teaching the children how to be better doctors?" He said and casually took the vanilla latte from Cameron's hand and took a drink.

Cameron is somewhat surprised at him taking her coffee. "I have been running tests all morning and I needed a coffee break." She said and grabbed her cup back from House.

"And to play touchy feely with Wilson. You do know there's a janitor closet down the hall." House snarked.

Cameron glared at House. "Sometimes, I actually forget what an ass you are." She said sharply and walked away.

House watched Cameron walk down the hall with a pleased look on his face. "You know, when she's angry, she wiggles her ass more."

Wilson shook his head. "You are something else. You know that?"

"She just broke up with Chase. She didn't waste any time moving on, did she?"

Wilson didn't bother to respond to House's comment. "I have an appointment. I'll talk to you later." He said and left House standing alone with a satisfied look on his face.


	30. Let's go to lunch Wilson & House

****************

**Chapter 30**

Since his little confrontation with Wilson and Cameron earlier today, House had been sitting at his desk, playing with his multi colored ball trying to focus on his patient. He didn't like the idea of not being able to solve his newest puzzle and it was souring his mood even more than it already was. However, no matter how hard he tried to focus only on his patient, his mind kept wondering back to Wilson and Cameron. _Damn it!_ He thought and threw the ball hard against the wall.

Wilson stood outside House's office and watched him toss the ball back and forth. He could tell by the perplexed look on his best friend's face that things weren't going very well. He was debating whether or not to interrupt him and ask him to lunch again. He wanted to tell him the truth about what was really going on but wasn't sure if this was the right time or not. He quietly poked his head in.

"Hey. Interested in grabbing a late lunch? I'll buy."

House caught the ball in his hand and looked out the window. "You always buy."

Wilson stepped all the way in. "I know but I'm actually offering this time."

House placed the ball on his desk, grabbed his cane, stood and walked towards the door where Wilson was standing. "Nope. Not hungry. I need to check on the children. It's been a while since I've heard from them." He opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

Wilson was disappointed that House had turned down lunch again. He didn't know when he would get his courage up again to tell him the truth.

They started walking towards the elevators. "Seeing your girlfriend later?" House snarked.

Wilson rolled his eyes. "If you're referring to Cameron, she's not my girlfriend. We are only friends."

House looked down at Wilson. "Who else would I be talking about?"

Wilson looked down at the floor, not saying anything.

House continued to poke. "Sounds like friends with benefits to me. Hang in there. Chase lasted what, almost nine months?" He said in a sarcastic tone.

Wilson abruptly turned and placed his hand on House's chest so he would quit walking. "House, stop it. If you like Cameron, ask her out."

"I don't want to ask her out. I'm just hurt that you didn't tell me about you two doing the mattress mambo." House said trying to show he was hurt by placing his hand over his heart.

"Whatever. You're acting jealous."

"I'm not jealous." House insisted.

"Really. First, it drove you crazy that she and I went out to dinner."

"I was curious…"

Wilson held up his hand to stop him from talking. "And now it's killing you to know we are sleeping together."

"You said sleeping."

"What?"

"You didn't say slept, you said sleeping. That sounds more than just a one time thing."

Wilson smiled. "You just proved my point. I'm going to get something to eat." Wilson said and headed to the stairs, leaving House standing in the middle of the hallway.

House watched Wilson walk away. He let out a grunt as he punched the elevator button with the end of his cane.

**********

House stood outside the glass sliding doors and watched as Taub and Thirteen checked the patient's vitals.

Thirteen looked up to see House eyeing them and stepped into the hall to give him an update.

"How's he doing?" House asked in a serious voice.

Thirteen looked over her shoulder at the patient. "His breathing is more labored than what it was three hours ago and the rash has now spread to his lower extremities."

"And his fever?"

"The same. It has stayed at 103."

"Did you talk to his family?" House asked, watching Taub move around the room.

"I spoke with his sister but they haven't really talked in the last two years. She's flying in tonight."

"Hope she's not too late. What about friends and people he works with?" "I'm still working on that?"

"Get it done. We need answers now. Where are the others?" "Kutner and Cameron should be in the lab and I don't know where Foreman is. I haven't seen him since this morning."

"Keep me posted." He said and headed to the lab.

**********

Cameron and Kutner were both frustrated that they hadn't found anything that would help them with their patient. Cameron was looking through the microscope at a slide with Kutner at her side.

Without thinking, Kutner leaned in slightly towards Cameron and the sweet smell of her perfume distracted him for a minute. He bent his head down closer so he could smell her hair, unaware there was a pair of steel blue eyes watching his every move.

House pushed open the door to the lab, startling Kutner, who quickly stood up straight and backed away from Cameron slightly. He didn't miss the hard glare that House was directing his way.

House limped to the counter, where Cameron and Kutner were working. He pulled out the familiar orange vile and popped a white pill into his mouth and tilt his head back to let it slide down his throat. "Tell me you've found something." House said in a low tone.

Cameron looked over the scope and was surprised to see House looking so intensely at her. "We have run every test possible and still nothing. Have his symptoms changed?" She asked.

"You're asking me? That's your job or don't you remember how to play the game?"

Cameron is surprised at House's tone towards her. "I simply asked…"

"You asked me a question that you should already know the answer too. Maybe if you weren't trying to entice the men around here into your bed, then you might know the answer. You can start by not letting lover boy here smell your hair while you're trying to work."

House's comment surprised Cameron and she turned to look at Kutner who was blushing.

House knew he was being more of an ass than he should be but the news of Cameron sleeping with Wilson just wasn't sitting well with him.

"Go help Taub and Thirteen while I talk to sweet pants here." He said to Kutner.

Cameron snapped her head back around and gave House a stern glare.

Kutner didn't bother to ask any questions and left the room.

Cameron waited until Kutner had left the room. "Enticing men into my bed? Where did that come from?"

"It seems fitting at the moment. You break up with Chase and you have men swarming all over you."

Cameron felt the heat rise up in her face and looked away. "That's a bit of exaggeration, don't you think?" She asked in a snappy tone.

"Oh, I don't know. Wilson over the weekend and by the goofy look on Kutner's face, you wouldn't have to do too much to real him in." House said as he moved around the counter and was now standing beside Cameron. Cameron looked at him again. "House." She warned.

"Why did prince charming break up with you anyway?" The minute House asked the questions, he was sorry he did. He wasn't expecting such a hurt look on Cameron's face.

"Apparently, there were several reasons but I'm not going to talk about it now."

"Is he seeing someone else?"

"He says he isn't. Can we talk about the patient now?" She desperately wanted to change the subject.

House watched her closely and suddenly stepped in closer and smelled her hair.

His sudden move surprised her and caused a chill to travel down her back the minute she felt his breath on her neck.

"No wonder Kutner was enjoying himself. You smell nice."

Cameron slowly turned her head to find his face only inches from hers. "Can we get back to work?" She whispered.

"Of course. Call the rest of the team and let's regroup and go over everything again." He pulled himself away, stared at her for a moment then left the lab, not sure of the feeling he felt. He knew he needed a distraction and headed for Cuddy's office.


	31. House asks Cuddy for a drink

****************

**Chapter 31**

Lisa Cuddy rounded the corner just in time to see her assistant purposely bending over in front of House to pick up a file, giving him a wonderful view of her perky, young breasts. When Lisa saw the look on House's face, she sighed loudly causing the two to look in her direction.

"Christy. I need that report done before you leave today." Lisa said as she walked past the small desk.

Christy sat back down. "Yes, Dr. Cuddy." She answered and gave House a seductive little smile.

"House. In my office." Cuddy said as she stood in her doorway.

House followed her into her office and shut the door behind him. "Before you say anything, I'm innocent."

"I'm sure you are." She said and tossed him a tissue. "You might want to wipe the drool from the corner of your mouth." She said sarcastically.

A smile tugged at one side of House's mouth.

Lisa shook her head. "Were you coming here to see me or just conviently passing by my assistant's desk?"

"I do believe it is she who is trying to seduce me. I'm just enjoying the attention. I was actually coming to see if you were free for a drink later."

Lisa stopped and stared at House. She didn't bother to hide the look of surprise that was clearly all over her face but the surprise instantly turned to skepticism. "What do you want?"

"I just told you."

"I find it hard to believe that you're asking me out for a drink for no reason. How's your patient?"

"No change and no answers. Can't friends go out for a drink or have dinner together?"

"Of course they can. You don't have any idea what this guy has?" She changed the subject again feeling a knot begin to form in her stomach.

"Not yet. About that drink."

Cuddy stopped fidgeting with the stack of papers on her desk and stared at House again. She had been planning to ask Wilson if he wanted to go to dinner but maybe going with House would be a better idea. She really needed to talk to him. She wondered if Wilson ever told him that they had gone out Saturday night.

"It's a yes or no question." House pushed.

"Okay. I'll bite. Where would you like to go?"

"Across the street is good unless you want to go somewhere else."

"No, that's fine. I'll meet you there after work?" Lisa asked, suddenly feeling a little out of her element.

"I'll see you then." He smiled slightly and walked out. As he passed by Christy, he couldn't help himself and gave her a little wink when he walked by causing her to let out a little giggle.

**********

House returned to his office to find his team sitting at the long glass table waiting for his presence. He immediately walked to the coffee pot to pour a cup of the coffee that had just finished brewing. "Okay. Start talking. What's new?"

"Nothing, other than the symptoms he came in with have only worsened." Taub said.

House took a sip of his coffee and walked over to the board and began to write the symptoms down again. "Did we ever talk to any of his friends or co-workers?"

"I talked to two co-workers and both said that he pretty much kept to himself. They didn't think he had a girlfriend and he hadn't been acting unusual other than he had been away for a few days. Probably because he has been sick."

"But we don't know for sure if that is why he was gone." He paused and wrote something on the board and stood back and stared at the symptoms. "Dr. Cameron, what would you suggest?"

Cameron was startled that he had addressed her but answered immediately. "We should find out where he was the few days he was gone and what he was doing. We also need to find someone who knows him better than his two co-workers."

Remy shot Cameron a look. "I talked to several people and only found two who seemed to know something about him. He works at a large firm."

House stopped writing. "Is he an attorney?"

"Sort of. He's studying for the bar." Remy answered.

House started writing again. "Cameron's right. Taub, take lover boy and go to his apartment or house and see what you can find. Talk to some neighbors. Someone has to know something about this guy."

Kutner blushed again when House called him lover boy and ignored Taub's curious look.

"Thirteen, you keep a close watch on him and wait for his sister." House glanced at his watch and saw that it was almost four. "Okay, that's it. The three of you," He points to Thirteen, Taub and Kutner, "are on watch tonight. Notify me of any changes."

"What about Cameron?" Taub asked.

"I don't know Taub. Why don't you ask her yourself."

Cameron looked at Taub. "I work in the ER tonight."

Taub nodded his head and the three of them left the room.

House was staring at his board and could feel the weight of Cameron's stare on him.

"Did I forget something?" He asked her.

Cameron walked over to stand beside him. She waited until he looked at her before she spoke. "I just wanted you to know how enjoyable my first day has been. I had forgotten how fun you can be." She said sarcastically.

"I told you this was going to be fun."

She gave him a smirk and left.

House watched her leave before going into his office to wait for five o'clock. He rubbed his unshaven chin and stared out the window. He wasn't really sure why he had asked Cuddy out for a drink other than he wanted to think about something other than Cameron and Wilson's little escapade over the weekend. Why it bothered him, he wasn't sure but it did and Wilson's little speech earlier was hanging in the back of his head like the diseases he tried to cure. There was something about how the two of them just fell into bed with one another. He could believe Wilson would do that but Cameron never seemed like the type of person who would just jump into bed for a one night stand… unless it wasn't a one night stand, he thought and that was what was bothering him. He wasn't sure if he liked the idea of Wilson dating Cameron. Was it possible that he was jealous of his best friend tasting something he never had the courage to do himself?

He sighed heavily and glanced at his watch. It was a few minutes before five. He put on his black leather coat and gave Thirteen a quick call on her cell to let her know that he was leaving and to reaffirm that if anything changed with the patient, to give him a call. As he was taking the elevator down to the lobby he decided to take a detour through the ER. As usual, it was full of people. He casually looked around until he found the attractive blonde immunologist, talking to one of the many patients she was going to see tonight. He slowly limped towards her.

"You might want to check on your other patient sometime tonight." He said quietly.

Cameron glanced his way as she continued to assess the young girl that was sitting on the bed before her. "I had already planned on it. Are you leaving?"

"Yep. How late do you work?"

"Midnight."

"I'm glad I'm not you. You're going to be tired."

Cameron moved around the bed to look at the back of the girl. "Nothing we haven't all done before. Are you meeting Wilson?"

"Nope. I'm meeting Cuddy for a drink."

Cameron paused with what she was doing but didn't look at House. She didn't want him to see the surprised look on her face. "Oh."

House saw the odd look that quickly crossed Cameron's face. "Is that a problem?"

Cameron looked up and shrugged her shoulders. "No." She lied.

He started to walk away but stopped. "Why did you tell me about you and Wilson?"

Cameron stopped and moved closer to House. "I don't know. I figured he would have already told you. Why? Is there a problem?" She asked with a smirk on her face.

House looked down at the sassy look on her face. Her eyes were sparkling, her hair pulled back into a messy ponytail and her slender arms crossed in front of her. He couldn't help think how cute she was standing there, looking at him like that. "Nope. Definitely not a problem."

Cameron's smirk turned into a smile. "Enjoy that drink." She said and turned her attention back towards her patient.

"I will." House answered and continued to watch her for a minute before leaving to meet Cuddy.

**********

Cuddy was already sitting at a small table to the back of the room when House joined her.

"Starting without me?" House asked, noticing the drink in her hand. He quickly ordered a scotch from the waitress and sat down across from her.

She gave him a smile and took another sip of her drink. "I wasn't sure how long you were going to be. I'm surprised you left the hospital not knowing what's wrong with Jeremy Atkinson."

He looked at her curiously. "Who?" He moved his arm so the waitress could sit his drink down.

A small laugh escaped Lisa's lips. "Your patient."

"Oh, him. That's why I have a team, so they can stay and I can leave."

They sat in an awkward silence for a few minutes, both looking around the room, which wasn't too crowded.

Lisa cleared her throat and finally spoke. "So, why did you ask me out for a drink?"

"No reason, really."

She nodded her head.

"Why did you accept?" He asked.

"To find out what you're up to."

"I thought you accepted because you like me."

Lisa was clearly stunned at his comment and wasn't exactly sure how to respond. "I'm one of the few people who are willing to tolerate you."

House placed his drink to his lips and almost drained the glass with one swig. He watched Lisa closely, noticing how she was avoiding his stare. "Did you know Wilson and Cameron slept together over the weekend?"

She looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Really. And where did you get that piece of information?"

"Cameron blurted it out this morning then Wilson confirmed it. I never imagined those two together." He said more to himself than to her.

Lisa tilted her head to the side and stared at him. "Does it bother you that they slept together?" She asked taking the last sip of her drink.

"Why would it bother me? I just find it interesting." He lied.

Lisa took a deep breath. "You know, we can order another drink here or we could go back to my place and have a drink there."

It was House's turn to be surprised. "Is that an invitation for a drink or for something else?"

Lisa was surprised at how at ease she felt asking him to come home with her. "Why don't we have a drink and go from there."

House thought for a moment but decided he was just in the mood to do something insane. "Why not." He said and tossed some money on the table for his drink and put his leather jacket on.

Lisa stood and did the same.

They looked at one another.

"Lead the way." House said and followed her outside.

Before Lisa got into her car she turned and looked at House who was putting on his helmet. "See you there." She said with a smile.

A few minutes later, House was slowly following Lisa Cuddy down the street wondering what in the hell was he thinking.

**********

Cameron managed to walk out of the hospital at 12:05. She couldn't believe how tired she was. She hoped Cuddy found a replacement for her soon because she wasn't looking forward to doing this for too long. As she approached her jeep, she saw something on her windshield and at first thought it was a flyer of some sort then realized it was a white envelope. A chill, not caused by the cold air, ran through her. It had been several weeks since she had last received a note and thought it had stopped. She glanced around and quickly grabbed the envelope. Once inside her jeep, she locked the doors and hurriedly pulled out of the parking lot. She didn't want to stick around and open the envelope there. All she wanted to do was get home as fast as she could. As she drove down the street, she kept glancing in her mirror to see if anyone was following her. Twenty minutes later, she pulled into her parking lot, looked around before hurrying into her apartment. She quickly shut and locked her front door, turned on the light, tossed her bag and purse, along with the envelope onto her dining room table. After hanging up her coat, she went over and picked up the long white envelope. Unlike the others, this one had her name on the front… her first name. This shook her up some. She carefully undid the seal and pulled out the white piece of paper that had neatly typed print on it. She took a deep breath and read the words.

**Sweet Allison, this will be my last letter to you for a while. I'm afraid my words are not showing you how I truly feel. I will have to find a different way to let you know how special you are to me. Please know my Love, it will not be long before we are together, forever. Until then.**

Cameron stared at the note with her mouth open. _Is this real?_ She said out loud. She hadn't really taken the other notes seriously but this one scared her and she wasn't sure what to do with it. The best thing to do would be to take it to Cuddy in the morning and go from there. After all, it did happen on hospital grounds. She placed it back into the envelope and placed the envelope in her bag. As she proceeded to her bedroom to get ready for bed, she couldn't shake the feeling that someone was watching her. She locked her bedroom door and crawled into bed with her cell phone lying next to her. She had a feeling that she wasn't going to get very much sleep tonight. Cameron closed her eyes and tried to think of something other than the note so she could fall asleep. The last thing she remembered was House reaching for her and how safe it had made her feel. After that, she fell into a deep sleep and slept straight through the night.


	32. House & Cuddy

****************

**Chapter 32**

Before House even opened his eyes, he knew he wasn't in his bed. The bed he was lying on was way too soft to be his. He slowly opened each eye and turned his head to the side to see that the space beside him was empty. He listened for any movement in the house but it was quiet. He looked at his watch and saw it was almost eight thirty. Cuddy would have left for work by now, he thought. Thinking it was safe, he swung his long legs over the side of the bed to find his clothes in a pile on the floor. Memories of the night before began to fill his head. He and Cuddy had been drunk but not too drunk to know what they were doing. He sighed heavily and rubbed his hand through his hair when the door to the bedroom swung open, causing him to jump slightly. Cuddy walked into the room wearing a pale blue robe.

She glanced at him as she walked past the bed on the way to her closet. "I'm late." She said with a slight blush.

"And I suppose that's my fault?" He said in that sarcastic tone of his.

She gave him a little smile. "It sort of is. You should get up too or you're going to be later than usual and you have a patient to take care of."

"We aren't even at the hospital and you're still telling me what to do." He said as he bent over and picked up his boxers. His leg was killing him but he didn't want to reach for his vicodin yet. After putting on his boxers and slipping on his wrinkled tee shirt, he sat back down on the bed and looked over his shoulder to see that Cuddy was already dressed. He slipped on his jeans and managed to stand up again even though the pain in his leg was excruciating. He looked up to see that Cuddy was staring at him.

"What? Thinking about how wonderful I was last night?" He said in a smug tone.

She smiled and shook her head. "Actually, I was thinking that maybe we should talk later." She said almost in a pleading voice.

House shrugged his shoulders. "I don't need to talk."

"This doesn't seem a little weird to you?" She asked, not really believing him.

"We knew what we were doing."

"I know but what now?"

"Why do women have to make things so complicated?"

"Why do men have to be such jerks?" She shot back.

House stared at her knowing she wanted some kind of confirmation that the night before wasn't just about sex but he couldn't give that to her.

Cuddy had taken his silence to mean that he didn't know what to say. "Okay. I'll drop it for now but I would like for us to talk later."

"You mean you want to have another drink later?" He said waggling his eyebrows.

"Maybe this time, we could leave alcohol out of it. I have to go." She walked towards him and stared up at him. When he didn't make a move towards her, she stood on her tip toes and gave him a small peck on the cheek. "I'll see you at the hospital." She said and left.

It wasn't until he heard the front door close that he finally let out the breath he was holding and reached into the pocket of his jeans and pulled out the orange vile and downed two pills without any water. He made his way to the bathroom to take a much needed pee and wash the sleep off of his face. He stared at himself in the mirror. What he needed, he thought, was a long hot shower at his place. He went back into the bedroom to get his shoes and noticed the rumpled sheets on the bed. He closed his eyes and sighed. _What was I thinking?_ He said under his breath. There was no way this was just going to go away, not with the way Cuddy was looking at him this morning and practically pleading for them to talk later. He cared about her but not enough to start a relationship with her. The crazy thing was, the whole time he was playing under the covers with Cuddy last night, he couldn't get Cameron out of his head. Finding out she and Wilson had slept together had stirred something inside of him that he couldn't explain.

He shook his head of the thoughts and went into her living room to put on his leather jacket. He just needed to get on his bike and ride, hoping the cold air against his face would clear his head. He wished he could erase everything that had happened the night before, knowing damn well he had opened a door that wasn't going to be easy to close again


	33. Cameron talks to Cuddy

****************

**Chapter 33**

Lisa arrived at her office to find Cameron pacing back and forth in front of her office door.

"Allison? Is there something wrong?" Lisa asked in a concerned tone.

Cameron looked at her and smiled. "Yes and no. Do you have a minute? I have something I want to show you." She stepped aside to let Lisa unlock her door.

"Of course. Come in." Lisa immediately took off her coat and sat down at her desk and gave Cameron her full attention.

Cameron pulled out the white envelope she had tucked away in her brown canvas bag and handed it to Lisa. "I thought you should see this."

Lisa curiously took the envelope and opened it. She carefully read the words and instantly became alarmed. "Where did you get this?"

"I found it on my windshield last night."

"Do you have any idea who may have left this?" She asked still holding the note.

Cameron shook her head from side to side. "Not a clue. This isn't the first one I have received."

Lisa stared at her. "What do you mean this isn't the first one?"

"I have received several notes and just like this one, I found them on my windshield." Cameron told her.

Lisa definitely wasn't happy about this. "Why haven't you brought this to my attention before now?"

"Because until now, I hadn't really taken them seriously. The other notes didn't have my name on them. This one does and it bothers me a little."

"As well it should." She read the note again. "I want to run a copy and keep it in a file. I would like a copy of the other ones too. I will have security pull the tapes from last night to see if we can see anything on them. If we see anything that looks suspicious, we will call the police."

Cameron nodded her head.

"In the mean time, try not to be alone, especially walking to your car and if you receive any other notes, I want to know immediately."

"Okay."

"I'll bring you the letter after I run a copy of it."

Cameron thanked Lisa before leaving and left to attend their newest patient.

**********

House arrived at his office to find his team, all but Cameron, smiling and chatting happily in the adjoining room. This definitely intrigued him since they had a dying patient with no idea what was wrong with him. He walked into the room to join them. "Why so cheerful this morning? Did our patient die?" He asked sarcastically.

Foreman rolled his eyes. "Just the opposite. He's better."

House poured his coffee and turned to look at them. "Kutner, translate what he just said."

"It's true. His fever is gone."

"His rash is gone." Thirteen chimed in.

"And his breathing is back to normal." Foreman added.

House turned to look at the white board that still had all the symptoms and ideas written on it. "Just like that. He's all better. When did this happen?"

"Somewhere around four this morning." Foreman said.

House turned around and looked at them. "You do know he's still sick? No one just gets better for no reason."

"It can happen. Especially since we don't know what caused his symptoms in the first place." Foreman said.

Just then, Cameron walked in. "Sorry I'm late." She said a little out of breath.

"Only your second day and look how you're trying to impress me." House said sarcastically. "Take him off of all his medications and lets see how he does. I don't want to release him without knowing what started this."

Cameron was totally in the dark. "Take him off his medications?"

"Foreman, since Dr. Cameron has finally decided to join us, fill her in on what's going on with our patient. I have something I need to take care of." He sat his cup down and limped out of the room.

**********

House was deep in thought as he made his way to Cuddy's office. He had made a decision while taking a hot shower this morning, to stop whatever this was between them now rather than wait until Cuddy was too attached to the idea of a relationship. He was glad Cuddy's assistant wasn't at her desk yet. He was not in the mood to deal with her this morning. As he approached her office, he could see that she was sitting at her desk. He stopped for a minute and stared at her. Less than twenty four hours ago, he was in her bed and having sex with her. He knew that he needed to be sensitive to her feelings but that was something he definitely wasn't good at, he thought. After all, this was him and he was just a bastard all the way through. He took a deep breath and threw open her door.

"House." Cuddy said sternly. "A knock first would be nice."

"Sorry. Thought after last night I would have special privileges."

She gave him a smirk. "You thought wrong. Are you here because of Cameron?" She asked as she stood to file some paperwork.

Her question about Cameron caught him off guard. "Cameron? What about Cameron?"

"Oh." She said surprised. "I thought she would have told you. She came to me this morning about a letter that was placed on her windshield."

"That's old news. Some bozo put that on there a few weeks ago."

"You knew and didn't tell her to come to me?"

"It seemed harmless. Why is she bringing it up now?"

"Because there was a new one last night. This one had her name on it."

"Where is it?" House asked in a concerned tone.

Cuddy didn't miss the tone he was using and was slightly surprised.

"In my desk but I don't think you should read it unless she wants you to?" "Why? You just told me all about it, besides, she works with me now. Wouldn't it be wise for me to know what's going on so I can watch out for her?"

"You're just pretending to care so you can make it your business."

"You don't think I care what happens to Cameron?"

She sighed. "Fine." She said and took the envelope out of her top desk drawer and slid it towards him. She walked back to the filing cabinet and pretended to file, watching him out of the corner of her eye.

House read the note a couple of times. "This is kind of creepy."

"I know. I'm having security pull the parking lot tapes to see if they see anyone around her car."

"Are you calling the police?" He asked and placed the note back into the envelope.

"If the tapes show us anything. Otherwise, Cameron doesn't have any idea who would be doing this, so there isn't anything to tell them."

"She definitely needs to take it seriously." He turned to leave.

"Hey." She stopped him before he walked out. "If you didn't come here to talk about Cameron, what did you want?" She asked hoping he was going to say her.

"It can wait for now." He said and left.


	34. House talks to Cameron

****************

**Chapter 34**

It had been three hours since the team had eliminated the meds Jeremy Atkinson was on. So far, there were no changes. He continued to remain stable without the medications. However, they were continuing to watch him closely, knowing that things could change in an instant.

Cameron was running a new EKG strip when she felt a presence standing behind her. She was just about to turn around when she smelled the spicy cologne of House. She was surprised when she felt his strong hand gently touch her shoulder. He put his mouth to her ear.

"I need to talk to you." He said quietly.

She turned slightly and looked at him with a confused expression. "Okay. I'll be done in minute."

He stepped into the hall and waited.

Kutner looked over at Cameron. "What is that all about?"

"I have no idea." She said and finished what she was doing and went to meet House in the hallway.

House was leaning against the wall watching Cameron walk towards him. For a minute he was lost in thought. He was admiring how good she looked and wondered what had changed about her so much that had him thinking about her this way.

"House. What's up?" She asked.

"Cuddy told me about the note."

"She did? Why?" She wasn't sure where he was going with this.

"She thought I should know. You don't have any idea who this could be?" He asked seriously.

"No, I don't. Actually, I hadn't really given it much thought until last night."

"Cuddy said she wasn't going to call the police unless there is something on the security tapes but I think you should talk to them anyway."

"And say what?" She asked. "Just tell them what's going on. At least they would know you had been having some problems should anything worse happen."

"That's comforting. I'll think about it."

"In the mean time, you shouldn't be alone."

"Is this you being concerned about me?" She asked, stepping closer to him.

House pushed himself away from the wall with his foot causing him to meet her. He looked down into her up turned face, their faces only inches away from one another.

"You bet I'm concerned. I hired you so you can help with these yard apes that are supposed to be my team."

Cameron grinned. "Well, in that case, I'll do my best to not be alone too often."

Just then, the beeping of the machines in Atkinson's room went off causing House and Cameron to turn their attention to their patient.

Down the hall, standing off to the side unnoticed, was Steven Mayer who was watching House and Cameron's every move. Seeing how the two doctors had been looking at one another, teasing each other with their eyes, disgusted him. The last thing Steven Mayer wanted to do was give Allison Cameron a reason to run into Dr. House's arms. If that were to happen, he knew he would have to take Dr. House out of the equation but he hadn't reached that point yet. However, he had reached the point of needing a release and he needed it now. The thought of finding a temporary fix until he was able to execute his original plan gave him some pleasure and calmed the anxiety he had been keeping inside. He set off towards his office going over the possibilities in his head of who he would choose to help him with his problem.


	35. House tells Wilson

****************

**Chapter 35**

Wilson sat his desk trying to focus on his paperwork but was having a difficult time due to the unsettled feeling he had in the pit of his stomach. Something didn't feel right and he knew part of the reason was because he needed to tell House the truth about what was going on with him, Cameron and Lisa. He had tried calling him several times last night but never talked to him. He was also wondering why Lisa hadn't returned his phone call either. He was hoping she would have stopped by his office this morning. He sighed heavily knowing it was no use to try and work while he had things on his mind. He tossed his pen onto the desk and decided to go find House when at that moment, House opened his office door.

"Hey. I was just going to go find you." Wilson said.

"I knew that. That's why I'm here."

Wilson shook his head. "You didn't call me back last night. Where were you?"

"You're keeping tabs on me? It's usually me keeping tabs on you. I was occupied with my favorite hooker."

Wilson looked at House and saw House divert his eyes from his. "You're lying."

House had a surprised look on his face. "Why would I lie?"

"No reason unless you are trying to hide something." Wilson said in a doubting tone.

House shrugged his shoulders. "I don't have anything to hide unlike you."

Wilson blushed slightly knowing House was referring to him allegedly sleeping with Cameron. "Do you always have to play games?"

"This is me. What do you think?" House said sarcastically.

"I thought you gave up hookers?"

"I did but I was lonely last night." He said and sat down on Wilson's leather sofa. "So, what did you want?"

"What?" Wilson asked.

"You said you were coming to find me."

"Oh. I wanted to know if you wanted to come by for dinner tonight."

House narrowed his eyes at him. "Why?" It was his turn to wonder what Wilson was up to.

Wilson let out a nervous laugh. "No reason. We just haven't done that in a while and I'm in the mood to cook."

"Why aren't you asking Cameron?"

"I don't know. Thought you and I could hang out. Besides, I'm sure Cameron works tonight. What's the big deal? Any other time, you would be jumping all over the offer of free food."

House sighed and thought about needing to talk to Cuddy. "I can't. I have something else I need to take care of."

"What? Meeting with your favorite hooker again?" Wilson said with a forced smile.

"Sort of." House said seriously. "I'm supposed to meet with Cuddy."

A cold chill came over Wilson. "Why are you meeting with Cuddy?"

"So we can talk."

"About what?"

House stared at Wilson. "You're certainly full of questions today, aren't you?"

Wilson didn't say anything, still waiting for an answer to his question.

House took a deep breath. "Because I slept with her last night."

Wilson froze. "Is that a joke?"

"No."

Wilson understood now why he had been feeling so unsettled. Anger instantly rose up inside of him but he controlled his emotions. "Define slept."

"We had a few drinks and she invited me over to her place and one thing led to another."

"So, you were drunk."

"No. I said we had a few drinks but we definitely knew what we were doing."

"You said she invited you over?" Wilson asked trying to let this all sink in.

"Yeah. I asked her out for a drink and we met across the street. Next thing I know, we are heading to her place. We had a couple more drinks when we got to her house and then…"

Wilson put up his hand to stop him. "I don't want to hear the details."

House looked at him curiously. "Are you upset?"

"No." He knew House could tell he was lying. "So, are you two seeing each other now?"

"That's why I have to talk to her later. It was good and all but I don't want to start anything with her." "So, you used her?" Wilson spat letting his anger come out slightly.

"More like we used each other. What's wrong with you?"

"Nothing! It just seems the minute you find out about me and Cameron sleeping together, you immediately jump into bed with Cuddy."

"You are upset about this." House said carefully watching his friend pace back and forth.

"This is so like you! You always have to play games. I didn't tell you about Cameron and so you have to do something to get back at me." Wilson said in an elevated voice letting his anger take over.

"Get back at you? What are you talking about?" House was trying to understand what

Wilson was getting so angry at.

Wilson stopped pacing and stood in front of House, who was still sitting on the sofa.

"Yes! Why now? Why now do you sleep with Lisa?"

"I didn't plan it, it just happened."

"But you didn't stop it… she didn't stop it." He said more to himself than to House.

"You know we have been playing around one another for a long time. It was bound to happen."

"Stop! Just stop talking." Then without waiting any longer, he blurted out the truth. "I didn't sleep with Cameron."

House stared at him for a few seconds before responding. "What?"

"I said I didn't sleep with Cameron."

"What are you talking about? Why would Cameron say that you did if you didn't?"

"To help me… because I used her to help me lie… to you… about seeing Lisa." There! It was out, at least most of it. He walked over and looked out the window, ignoring the heavy stare from House.

"You're seeing Cuddy?" House asked.

"No, it was one date. Saturday night I was with Lisa, not Cameron." Wilson said in a more sullen tone.

"Then why did you tell me you went out with Cameron?"

"Because I wanted to keep it to myself. I didn't want you to try and screw it up."

House sat still for a minute trying to comprehend the mess that seemed to be unfolding around them. "So, you didn't sleep with Cameron?"

"No."

"Did you sleep with Cuddy?"

"No. Apparently, she was saving that part for you." He said in a dry tone.

"Did you tell Cameron to tell me that you two had slept together?"

Wilson shook his head no. "No, she thought that one up on her own."

"Why?"

"I don't know really. Maybe to make things more believable to you. She said it and I went along with it but I have been trying to tell you the truth. I didn't know you were going to go find your own conquest."

House could hear the hurt in Wilson's voice and it suddenly dawned on him. "You like Cuddy."

"Obviously, that doesn't make any difference to her. She had no problem jumping into bed with you." He turned back around and looked at House.

"I didn't know."

"Would it have mattered if you did?" Wilson snapped.

House saw a look in Wilson's eyes that he didn't see too often. It was a look of anger and hurt. "Yes, it would have mattered." House answered honestly. "The reason I am going to talk to her tonight is to tell her that I don't want a relationship with her."

"It doesn't matter. She apparently wants one with you or something with you."

House looked down at the floor. "I'm sorry Wilson."

"It's not you. I'm the idiot. I should have been upfront with you in the first place but it doesn't change the fact that she cares about you, not me."

"You don't know that until you talk to her."

"Oh, I'm not going to talk to her about it. I would only make a bigger fool of myself. I should have seen it coming. All the signs were there. I just chose to ignore them." Wilson glanced at his watch. "I need to get to work. I have an appointment in an hour."

House stood. "If there's anything I can do."

"I think enough has been done."

House nodded and left with a heavy feeling in his chest. It never occurred to him that Wilson liked Cuddy. He slowly walked down the hall to the elevators and pushed the button. He knew he had to take care of the situation with Cuddy first. Regardless what Cuddy felt for him or what he felt for her, Wilson was his best friend and he wasn't going to hurt him any more than what he had already done.


	36. House confronts Cuddy

****************

**Chapter 36**

Wednesday morning found Cameron, Remy and Taub watching their patient closely. He had fallen into a coma since his abrupt turn for the worse yesterday morning. The sudden change in his symptoms had all them, including House, completely mystified.

Taub watched as Cameron checked the monitor for the fourth time in twenty minutes.

"You constantly checking that is not going to change anything." He said to Cameron.

"I know but I don't like standing here doing nothing." She admitted.

Remy was going over the patient's chart. "Where's House?" She asked.

"Yeah. It's almost eleven and we haven't seen him yet. I saw him parking his bike over an hour ago." Taub added.

Cameron looked up to see that both Taub and Remy were looking at her. "Why are you asking me? I haven't seen or heard from him either. He probably had something to do. You know House. Besides, he knows we will call him if something changes." Cameron continued to check the patent's pupils with her pen light.

"I know but he's usually riding our ass for answers." Taub said.

"Then call him if your having problems functioning without him." Cameron teased.

"Funny." Taub said dryly.

"I haven't seen Foreman or Kutner since this morning either." Remy said.

"They are probably still in the lab running tests on the new blood samples that were drawn earlier." Cameron paused and turned to Taub. "Did you and Kutner talk to any of Jeremy's neighbors when you went to his apartment?"

"Yes and no one seemed to know anything about this guy. They said they hardly saw him. His apartment was clean, almost too clean. Why?" Taub asked curiously.

Cameron shrugged her shoulders slightly. "Just going over the list in my head. There has to be something we missed."

"Well, going back to his apartment would be pointless. There's nothing there. It's almost as if the guy doesn't even live there." Taub said.

"Hmmm. We could try his office again." Cameron said quietly.

Remy's head snapped up at this comment. "That would be pointless also. I talked to everyone there." She said coldly.

"What if you missed someone?" Cameron simply asked.

Remy glared at Cameron. "I did my job Cameron." She spat out.

Cameron is surprised at Remy's defensiveness. "I didn't say anything about you not doing your job Remy."

"Then why are you implying I didn't?" She asked.

"I'm not. I'm just retracing our steps. Maybe we missed something. That's all. I asked Taub about the neighbors too." Cameron answered.

"Well, I think it would be senseless to go back." Remy stated stubbornly.

Remy's comment annoyed Cameron. "I'm not asking you to go back. I'll go. You stay here with Taub. Page me if anything changes." Cameron left before either of them could say anything.

Taub is surprised at Cameron's abruptness and looked over at Remy, who was scowling at Cameron's back as she left the room. He stared at her for a long minute before speaking. "What's your problem with her?"

"Nothing. I just don't like her second guessing me."

Taub moved closer. "Look, I'm not happy about her being on our team either. She's just trying to find an answer. Don't take it personally."

"You wouldn't be saying that if she was questioning you about doing your job." Remy snapped and left the room.

Taub shook his head and slowly followed after her.

House had managed to avoid the subject of relationships with Cuddy since their little escapade the other night. Now, he was standing outside her door, wondering if he really wanted to enter and talk about it now or just keep doing what he was best at and that was to keep ignoring the issue. But he knew he needed to clear the air about Wilson. He glanced over his shoulder at the small empty desk where Cuddy's assistant, Christy, was usually sitting and was thankful she wasn't there to distract him. He could hear Cuddy talking on the phone in that authoritive tone of hers. He took a deep breath and opened the door. She smiled and motioned for him to come in. He shut the door behind him and limped across the room and stood in front of her desk and waited.

Lisa finished her conversation and hung up the phone. "Hi. I'm surprised to see you here."

He looked at her curiously. "Why?"

She smiled. "Because I figured you would still be avoiding me. You didn't return any of my phone calls."

"Did you really expect me to?" He asked.

"Not really but I was hopeful. You're here now. How is your patient?"

"Not good. We are still searching for an answer and running out of time." He said and leaned hard on his cane and stared at the floor.

Cuddy sensed that something was bothering him. "What is it?" She asked.

House ran his hand over his scruffy chin. "Why didn't you tell me that you and Wilson had a date last Saturday night?"

Cuddy gripped the file she was holding a little harder. "Because he asked me not to. He said he wanted to tell you when he was ready. I'm guessing he has told you."

House nodded. "You think?" He snarked. "He told me yesterday… after I told him you and I had slept together." He said slowly.

Lisa took a deep breath and glanced away from House's serious stare. "Oh god." She paused. "Why did you tell him?" "Because he's my best friend and that's what BFF's do." House said sarcastically. He started pacing back and forth in front of her desk. His agitation growing. "Why the hell didn't you tell me he was interested in you?"

Cuddy definitely noticed the change in his tone. "I don't know. He's your best friend. Why didn't you know?"

That thought hadn't occurred to House. Why hadn't he picked up on Wilson liking Cuddy? He wondered. "I had no idea." He admitted regretfully then continued. "But you knew and you knew if I had known, the other night would have never happened."

"I didn't know that for sure." She said hesitantly.

"Then why didn't you say anything before you asked me to follow you home?" He asked her.

Lisa slowly sat down in her chair and looked into his steel blue eyes again. She cleared her throat nervously. "I was hoping to discuss this with you later tonight."

"Let's just get it into the open now." House said coldly.

Lisa was a little shocked and somewhat hurt by his tone. "Okay…You and I have always had this thing between us and lately it has felt like it has become stronger." Lisa paused. She was having a difficult time spitting the words out. "I wanted to know if… if you and I had something… if you felt it too and when we went out for a drink, it just all seemed to fall into place. I certainly didn't hear you say no."

House stopped. He wasn't about to tell her that the reason he had asked her out for a drink was because he didn't want to think about Wilson and Cameron sleeping together. He wasn't going to tell her that the reason he followed her home and slept with her was because the thought of Wilson and Cameron together had bothered him so much, he didn't want to be alone. "True. I didn't say no but I would have never let what happened happen if I had known about Wilson." He said truthfully.

She looked at him skeptically. "Would it have really mattered to you?"

He stared at her, expressionless. "You and I…" He stopped. "The other night was sex Cuddy and that's all it was."

His words stung but she held her composure. "Was it really or are you just saying that because you now know Wilson likes me?" She asked with her chin tilted up in a defensive manner.

House stared hard at her. "Do you think I'm really capable of more than just sex? Did you really think you could change me?"

Cuddy's nostrils flared as her anger began to take over. "You are such a bastard." She hissed. "I can't believe I let myself think there could possibly be something between us. I also find it hard to believe that hurting Wilson actually bothers you."

House narrowed his eyes at her. "It should bother you though."

Her tone softened slightly. "Of course it bothers me and I will talk to him about it."

"And say what? That he can have sloppy seconds?" House said sarcastically.

"That's enough! Get out. I do not want to talk to you about this any more. Not only are you a bastard but you are incapable of having a civil conversation. How did I forget how you really are?"

"But you enjoyed the other night, didn't you?"

"Are you trying to piss me off? Is this your way of making sure I will never want to be with you?"

"It doesn't matter if you want to be with me. I don't want to be with you."

His words hit her like a slap in the face. "Get out House." She said in a controlled tone.

House could see the hurt in Cuddy's eyes and regretted his comment. He turned to leave but stopped and faced her again. "You and I will always have a something between us Cuddy but we both know if we were together it wouldn't last. You and Wilson have a chance of having something real."

His sincerity caught her off guard and she didn't know how to respond. She just watched him leave thinking what a complicated man he was.

House limped down the hall thinking about Wilson and Cuddy when the thought occurred to him that this was Cameron's fault. She was the one who lied about sleeping with Wilson in the first place and he was very interested to hear her excuse as to what possessed her to tell him that little lie. Unless Wilson had told her, she doesn't know that he knows the truth about what happened. Watching her squirm while he confronted her, lightened his mood some.

He was making his way to the elevators when he glanced out the large windows that over looked side parking lot and saw Chase with his arms around the waist of a tall blonde woman. He blinked his eyes shut a couple of times to make sure he was seeing clearly and continued to watch as Chase pulled the tall woman closer and kissed her. _What the hell? _He thought and decided he needed a closer look and quickly limped to the elevators. When he reached the lobby, he practically skipped to the side entrance. The windows at the end of the hall gave him a perfect view of Chase and his mystery woman. He couldn't get a good view of the woman's face however. His chest tightened and his stomach churned as he watched them fondle one another. The scene actually angered him. He would be very surprised if Cameron knew and it would definitely explain why Chase had been giving her so much grief lately. A couple of minutes later the woman waved good bye to Chase and started walking towards the front of the hospital. Chase headed towards the side entrance where House was standing. House's first thought was to duck into the bathroom until Chase had passed by but an evil thought crossed his mind. Instead he quickly and awkwardly made his way up the fist flight of stairs, hoping Chase would do the same. At the top, he leaned against the wall and waited. A minute later, he heard a whistling Chase enter the building and just as he had hoped he heard him start up the steps. A wicked smile crossed House's lips as he waited for Chase to reach the top of the stairs.


	37. Chase is caught

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**Chapter 37**

A smile lingered on Chase's mouth as he thought about the kiss that was still moist on his lips. He casually took the stairs and as he reached the landing to take the next set of steps, he was surprised to find House leaning against the wall, twirling his dark lacquered cane through his fingers.

Chase stopped and stared at House. "What are you doing here?" He asked in a slightly surprised tone.

House stared hard at Chase, not saying a word nor showing any emotion on his face.

Chase found House's demeanor peculiar. "House?" He said with a half cocked grin.

House's eyes narrowed and in a low, serious voice he asked one question. "Does she know?"

At first, Chase wasn't sure who House was referring to but the dark stare from the piercing blue eyes told him that he had been caught. His heart picked up speed.

"I don't know who you are talking about." Chase tried to play stupid and was just about to pass when House's cane came crashing down, blocking the entrance to the next set of stairs.

"You know exactly who I'm talking about… Cameron."

Chase looked at him and smirked. "Didn't you hear? We broke up."

Chase's arrogant look and response angered House. "By the looks of all the tongue games you were just playing, things between you and blondie have been going on for some time."

Chase looked up at House and smiled. "I know you may find this hard to comprehend but it's none of your business." He tried to move past again but House continued to hold his cane firmly in place. Chase stepped back and sighed. "What?! I suppose you will tell Cameron." House pushed himself away from the wall so that he towered over Chase. "Do you find this amusing? You have Cameron believing that her taking this job with me is what has been the problem between you two when the real reason has been you have been playing grab assey with another woman."

"Again, this really isn't any of your business House." Chase said again, his Australian accent growing stronger with his anger.

House couldn't hold back the smirk. He was glad he could hear the anger in Chase's voice.

Chase hated the smug look on House's face. He crossed his arms in front of him and continued. "You're enjoying this aren't you? You think you have uncovered some mystery, don't you?" "I'm pretty sure Cameron doesn't know about your new squeeze."

"And you think Brook is why I broke up with Cameron?" "Brook?" House let the name roll off his lips. "Sounds like the name of an exotic dancer. As a matter of fact I know a dancer named Brook. She works at that place…"

Chase was clearly annoyed and interrupted. "Go ahead and make jokes. Play your games. It's the one thing your really good at. But mine and Cameron's problems are because she can't get over her feelings for you and I can't handle her working for you again… being around you all the time."

"You don't trust her?" House asked with one eye brow raised.

"I don't trust you. You are going to do what you always do. You are going to play your little games with her and just when she thinks she has a chance with you, you are going to break her into tiny pieces all over again and I don't want to be around to pick them up. Not again."

"I think she's the one who picked up the pieces, you just went along for the ride and took the credit." House stated.

"Why the hell do you care if Cameron knows anyway? Or is it that you get off making her life miserable." Chase waited for House to say something.

House continued to bore holes into Chase's skull, not saying a word.

Chase shook his head thinking House wasn't going to say anything else. "This is stupid. I need to get back to work. Do whatever you feel the need to do." He shoved the cane out of his way and stepped onto the first step when he felt a strong hand grab his shoulder and pull him backwards.

"Listen you arrogant Aussie bastard, you will tell Cameron and give her the peace she deserves."

"And if I don't?" Chase asked with a tight jaw and clenched fists.

"Then you will have me to deal with." House said.

Chase pulled free of the strong grip and continued to the top of the stairs. He didn't want House to know that his threat had actually unnerved him. Once he reached the top, he stopped and look down at House. "You know, at least when I tell her, I won't be the one who will be hurting her any more. Can you say the same?"

House didn't look up until he heard the heavy door leading into the hospital hallways slam open and shut. He hated that Chase's words held truth to them. He knew he had hurt Cameron and the truth was, he had meant to hurt her so that she would know he was nothing more than a deadly poison that would have crushed her heart forever. But to see someone else do that to her… to hurt her… angered him.

He slowly made his way up the stairs, when his pager went off with a 911 letting him know that something more was wrong with his patient. _Damn it_, he said under his breath. He placed his hand on the handle of the door but before he pulled it open, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He couldn't deny the two questions that were dancing around inside of his head… did Allison Cameron still have feelings for him? He wondered. And how long could he keep denying the fact that he felt something for her?He sighed heavily and swung open the heavy metal door, not wanting or letting himself hear the answers.


	38. Patient is diagnosed

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**Chapter 38**

House grabbed his phone and called Cameron.

Cameron looked at her phone and saw it was House calling her wondering where she was, no doubt. She quickly answered her phone. "I'm on my way back." Just then her pager went off with a 911.

"Where the hell are you and why am I getting paged with a 911?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"I don't know. I'm not at the hospital. Something must have happened with Jeremy. Call Taub or Foreman. I'll be there in a few minutes."

They both hung up their phones. Instead of House making another phone call, he headed straight to his patient's room.

House entered the room to find Thirteen and Taub working on the patient.

"He's bleeding out." Taub said.

"Call surgery." House yelled.

"We've already done that. We're taking him there now." Thirteen answered.

House stepped back and let his team and the nurses do their job.

"When your done, meet back downstairs and lets go over everything again and where's Cameron?"

"On a wild goose chase." Thirteen answered as she walked out of the room.

House wasn't sure what that comment was about but he was sure he would find out soon enough.

House waited impatiently for the members of his team to join him. The conversation with Chase was still fresh in his mind. A few minutes later, his array of underlings filled the room.

Still, no Cameron.

"What's the status?" He asked glancing at the empty coffee pot.

Taub saw House looking at the coffee pot and started towards it.

"We don't know yet. They were still trying to stabilize him before they took him into surgery." Thirteen said.

"Who's doing the surgery?" House could see Taub going for the coffee pot. "Don't touch that!" House snapped.

"I thought I would make some fresh coffee." Taub answered. House stared at him. "I said don't touch it. Now, again. Who is doing the surgery?" They all looked at him curiously.

"I requested Chase." Foreman said.

House nodded in agreement.

Just then, an out of breath Cameron entered the room. "Sorry I'm late. I got hung up in traffic. What happened?"

"Why don't we start with you explaining where you were and you can make coffee while you're doing it."

Cameron raised her eyebrow but preceded to the counter to make coffee.

Taub shook his head and sat down.

Cameron began to explain, ignoring the death look from Thirteen. "I went back to Jeremy's office to see if we missed something."

"I thought we already did that?" House asked.

"We did." Thirteen said coldly.

House suddenly realized what Thirteen had meant by the wild goose chase. "And did we find anything else?" He asked Cameron.

"Maybe. I talked to one of the partners, Jacobs, who was not there when Remy was there."

Remy looked surprised.

Cameron continued. "One of the firms top clients is in Thailand and Jacobs and Jeremy made a fast trip there ten days ago. They were there less than 72 hours."

"Why didn't anyone else know about it?" House asked.

"Because no one knows except for Jacobs that Jeremy went too. Apparently it was a last minute decision. I gather Jeremy is Jacobs pet project."

"So, he's been in Thailand. That opens a lot of possibilities."

"I have a theory." Cameron said quickly.

House stared at her impatiently. "We don't have all day Dr. Cameron."

"As I was driving back to the hospital I thought about a case study I just read and the subject was Dengue Fever." Cameron said. She didn't miss the surprised looks directed her way.

House is intrigued by her theory. "Really. So you think he has Dengue Fever?"

"All his symptoms plus the fact he was in Thailand, fit." Cameron said with confidence.

"Except that he is about ten years too old. It only attacks young children and teenagers." Foreman said.

Cameron stepped forward and gave House a cup of coffee. "True but we know that Jeremy had recently recovered from the flu. What if his immune system was too weak to fight off the virus?"

"If that's the case, then he's at the end. We may not be able to save him." Kutner added.

House listened as the team went back and forth with their doubts as he wrote three words on the white board, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever. He stood back and stared at the board. "Interesting. The Dengue Fever is caused by the Aedes mosquito." House cocked his head, still thinking. "If he does have this, he may be in the last stage given his symptoms. I'm not sure there is a treatment that will cure him."

"We could do a blood transfusion." Cameron said.

House turned his attention to Cameron again. "That's pretty risky."

"To risky. He just lost a lot of blood." Thirteen added with a smirk.

"Riskier than dying?" Cameron shot back.

House smiled and thought for a minute. "Let's do it."

"House, it's too risky." Foreman insisted again.

They heard the door open and turned to see Chase standing in the doorway. House saw the dark look that flashed across Cameron's face. He also noticed how awkward Chase was and that he didn't look in House's direction. "You're patient is stable but he's lost a lot of blood."

"Just in time to have a blood transfusion." House said.

"What?" Chase asked. "I wouldn't recommend that. Who's bright idea is that?"

House couldn't resist. "Cameron's."

Cameron crossed her arms in front of her and gave Chase a look of confidence. "It may be the only way we can save him."

"Well, it's a stupid move." Chase stated bluntly.

"Well then, it's a good thing your opinion doesn't count." House said and dismissed him and turned his attention to the others.

Chase took the hint and left the room.

"That was rude." Thirteen said.

"What?" House asked innocently.

"He just saved our patient's life. The least you could have done was thank him." Thirteen said to House.

"He's a doctor. He did what he was supposed to do. We need to focus on what is going to cure this guy and Cameron's theory fits."

Thirteen rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

"Hey!" House snapped, startling everyone. He looked directly at Thirteen. "I don't know what your problem is with Cameron but she is the only one who has come up with something solid. If you're so worried about Aussie boy getting his feelings hurt, go after him and console him. The rest of us are going to do our job and save our patient. Now, someone set up the transfusion."

They scurried out of the room except for Cameron, who was still leaning against the counter watching House. "Thanks."

"For what?" He asked.

"For backing me."

"I only backed you because you made sense. I'm impressed that you came up with Dengue Fever."

"Nothing impressive about it. I read a case study and it stuck with me."

"Don't sell yourself short. I read the same case study and I didn't think of it. You have good instincts and that's what it takes to do this job."

Cameron stared at him for a minute. "Did you just pay me a compliment?"

"A little one but let's not forget how I really am, so don't let it go to your head."

Cameron smiled and was about to leave when he stopped her.

"One more thing."

She turned around. "What."

House looked at her. "I know about Wilson and Cuddy and that you lied about sleeping with Wilson."

Cameron's eyes grew wide with shocked. "Oh." Was the only word she could get out of her mouth.

"I know you would love to stay here and explain to me why you came up with that little charade but you have a dying man to save. We'll talk later."

Cameron didn't say anything because she knew whatever came out of her mouth at that moment would be something stupid. So, she simply nodded her head and left the room.

House couldn't help but smile knowing he had totally caught her off guard but the smile and satisfaction quickly disappeared when he thought about Chase and the secret he held inside.


	39. Christy Death Contains Violence

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**Chapter 39**

**WARNING… This chapter contains violence about a murder and may be considered offensive. I do not wish to offend or upset anyone. Thank you. **

Christy's Death…

Christy quickly headed to her car, thankful the day was over with. She was looking forward to going home, having a glass of wine and taking a long hot bath. She was so engrossed in finding her keys, which had fallen to bottom of her purse, she didn't notice the man walking up behind her. She felt a presence next to her and turned to see who was there when she felt a blinding pain across the left side of her face. She stumbled and tried to focus on the image that was towering over her when darkness took over.

Steven Mayer made sure no one was around when he rammed his fist across the side of Christy's face. Her limp body fell to the ground. He swiftly picked her up into his arms and carried her into the bushes that were only a few feet away and laid her down on the crackling twigs. He reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out the plastic ties and cloth he had tucked away and tightly bound her hands and feet and stuffed the cloth into her mouth. He popped open the trunk of his car that he had backed up to the bushes a few hours ago and quietly placed the petite blonde and her black leather purse in the trunk and took the gray duck tape and wrapped it around her head, securing the cloth inside her mouth. He quietly closed the lid and glanced at his watch. He had approximately twenty minutes to erase the security tape before the night security guard started his shift.

It didn't take him long to get back to the secluded security room that was located in the basement of the hospital. He carefully erased the exact portions of the tape that showed his crime. He had this procedure almost down to a science. Unless one looked closely, you would not be able to tell portions of the tape were missing.

He thought about the young woman lying in his trunk and had forgotten at how alive doing this had made him feel. He also knew that he was taking a chance, unlocking the beast that was buried deep inside of him but it was something he had to do. All he had thought about for the last two days was how his Dr. Cameron and Dr. Asshole had looked at one another in the hall the other day. He needed a temporary fix until he could be with Allison and he knew he had to have a sacrifice. However, he had to restrain himself. Tonight was not about enjoyment, it was about sustainment.

He heard voices heading in his direction, so he quickly finished erasing the tape and gathered his things so he could walk out the minute the evening guard showed up. Ten minutes later he was walking across the parking lot, heading to his car, when he saw another car parked in the space next to his with a man looking under the hood. He slowed his pace slightly contemplating what his move would be should there be any problems. As he reached his car the man who was still looking under his hood, looked up and smiled. Steven decided he would speak first.

"Having car trouble?" Steven asked as he walked over and unlocked his door.

"Yeah. I think my battery is dead. You think you could give me a jump?" The tall, thin, middle aged man asked.

Steven thought for a second. "Sure but I don't have any jumper cables." He answered thinking he just wanted to make this quick and get out of there.

"I have some in my trunk. I'll grab them." The thin man hurried to his trunk and grabbed the cables.

Steven waited, trying not to show his agitation, all the while keeping an eye on the trunk of his car.

They placed the cables onto the two batteries and a few minutes later, the thin man's car started. Steven hopped into his own car and took off barely letting the man say thank you. The small interruption had only detained him slightly. However, he needed to hurry to his destination before the young woman awoke.

He drove up to the bluffs that overlooked the city. It was a perfect place, very secluded. As he traveled up the dirt road, he heard the young blonde starting to pound on the walls of the trunk. He laughed slightly. He pulled into the place he had picked out earlier. There was a small grove of trees a short distance with a small opening in the middle. The area really couldn't be seen by night unless one knew of the place but in the daylight, it wouldn't be long before someone passing by would see his masterpiece and that was the idea. He didn't want her to be hidden. He wanted the world to see her so Allison would know again how much he loved her.

He parked the car and quietly got out. He listened for a minute to the muffled sounds and he couldn't deny that it excited him. He grabbed the black satchel that was lying on his back seat and slung it over his shoulder. He glanced around carefully, making sure he was alone because he knew that once he opened the trunk, he would have to be quick. He was sure she was going to be a fighter. He walked to the back of the car and took a deep breath and opened the lid. It was barely open when the flailing girl sat up trying to climb out. He was prepared however and the petite girl was no match for his strength.

Christy tried to fight but the man held her tightly. She couldn't breath. It was all she could do to not pass out again. _I can't believe this happening to me, _she thought. She felt like she was in caught in a horrible dream. She kept kicking and wiggling making it very hard for him to carry her. She felt the tree branches cut her bare arms and face as he carried her down the path. A minute later she hit the hard cold ground with a thud, knocking the air out of her lungs. She laid still for a few seconds, trying to catch her breath and not let the darkness over come her. Once she could see clearly again, she moved her head from side to side and tried to see where she was. She looked straight up and saw the moon above, peering through the branches of the trees that came together almost like a canopy above her. She couldn't help but think how if under different circumstances, she would have thought how magical it looked but at that moment all she could think about was how it reminded her of the lid on her coffin. She listened for any familiar sounds but only heard the sound of traffic off in the distant. Too far away for anyone to hear her. Then she noticed him. He was kneeling, his back towards her. He was apparently going through a bag. She tried to see his face but couldn't get a clear view. She kept struggling against the plastic strips that were bound tightly around her wrists and she could feel it cutting through her skin and for the first time, she felt the pain. She could tell her cheek was swollen and puffy underneath her eye. She kept hoping this was all a nightmare and she would wake up soon. _Why me? _She kept asking. The cut on her cheek began to burn from the tears that escaped the corner of her eyes. _Damn it_. She thought. _Don't cry. Don't let him see how weak you are._ She scolded herself.

Steven could hear her heavy breathing behind him, giving him another erection. It felt so good, he thought, thinking about the release he was going to have. He stood and turned to look at her. It pleased him to see the fear in her eyes as he looked down at her. He took the few steps that closed the gap between them.

"You are not so high and mighty now, are you?" He laughed.

Christy could hear what he was saying but didn't understand. She squirmed more as he knelt beside her and started rubbing her hair.

Steven placed his finger to his lips. "Shhh. No one can hear you." He said as he sat out three large candles above her head. After lighting them, he looked down at her as the light cast an eerie glow across her body. "I want to remove the cloth from your mouth but only if you promise not to scream."

Christy stopped moving and shook her head yes but as soon as he removed the cloth, she began to scream and he quickly placed it back in place.

"I told you not to scream." He angrily said. "Don't ruin this." He stood and moved around so he could sit on her legs.

Christy tried to move her legs but his weight was too much for her. When he began to unbutton her pants, she started to moan and shook her head from side to side. She tried to scream _please don't _but her tongue was too swollen from the wad of material stuck in mouth and all she could do was gag.

Steven smiled as she squirmed underneath him but he finally managed to slide her pants completely off of her. He left her dark blue panties on. He looked at her with lust in his eyes and moved until he was kneeling beside her and begun to unbutton her silky white blouse. He admired her breasts that laid underneath her lacy bra. "You are pretty but not as beautiful as my Allison." He said softly to her.

He then pulled out the knife he had in his back pocket and smiled as he saw her eyes widen with a new fear. He laid it against her smooth skin.

Christy felt the cold blade against her cheek. She couldn't stop the helpless moans that escaped her. She began to cry. She watched as a sickening smile crossed his face and suddenly realized her who capture was, the security guard from the hospital. The image of running into him at the entrance, his coffee spilling on her blouse and the rude words she had said to him, ran through her head. Was this why he was doing this to her? She wondered. She felt the cold blade of the knife travel down her neck and rest just above her left breast. Then in one swift movement, he cut the middle of her bra and she could feel the cool air caress her bare breasts.

Steven looked down at her silky skin and watched as her nipples harden as the cool air brushed against them. He had a sudden urge to touch them but restrained himself. "I'm sure you would give me great pleasure but I have to leave myself pure for my love."

Christy felt some relief when she heard him say he wasn't going to touch her but then a horrid chill ran across her when she realized that if he wasn't going to rape her then there was only one other thing he was planning to do. He was going to kill her. _Oh my God! _She screamed inside her head. _Please No! _She tried to force out the words. Thoughts of her father and her mother crossed her mind and what this would to them. _I'm not supposed to die like this. Please. _She kept saying over and over in her head.

Steven noticed how still she had become. He knew that she had realized that she was going to die and he let out another little sickening laugh. They were always like that, he thought. As soon as they realized that they were going to die, they became still and whimpered like a dying animal. He let out a sigh. "I'm sorry but I have to do this." He stood and grabbed her arms that were still bound together and dragged her over to a large tree and leaned her against it.

At first Christy tried to fight but then she knew it would only be a lost cause. She knew it was over and her mind became numb. She could feel him gently remove the tape and cloth from her mouth and she tried to speak but no words came out. She felt him brush her hair back with his fingers and wipe her face with a moist cloth. She focused on the moon and it's light shining down through the trees and felt the cold air chill her skin. It occurred to her that it would be the last time she felt the cold.

Steven stood and looked down at her. For a brief moment, as he looked into her sad eyes, he felt sorrow for what he was about to do but he quickly shook the thoughts from his head and without another thought, he swiftly brought the knife down across her delicate throat and felt the knife rip through her soft skin. He heard her begin to gasp for air.

Out of the corner of her eye, Christy saw the knife coming down but refused to look at him. She didn't feel the blade touch her but she felt something wet spray against her face and travel down her chest. Then it became harder for her to breath and as much as she didn't want to struggle, she found herself gasping for air but even then she refused to look into the eyes of her killer and continued to look towards the light streaming down through the trees. It didn't take long before a peaceful feeling over took her body and she closed her eyes for the very last time.

Steven watched as her head fell backwards against the tree, her eyes open and lifeless. He almost fell to the ground when he felt the release in his pants. His body shuddered at the pleasure. After a few minutes he untied her hands and buttoned up her blouse and folded her hands into her lap. He removed the necklace from around her neck and stuffed it into his pocket and then secured her body to the tree with some rope. He took the tube of red lipstick out of his pocket and neatly covered her lips and stood back one more time to admire his creation. He then placed a sealed envelope on her lap, gathered his things, making sure not to leave anything behind. Took one more look and with satisfaction walked back to his car.

Driving home, he couldn't help but be excited at the thought of the present he left for Allison. He was at peace again and now he could concentrate on his plan that would bring him and Allison together forever.


	40. Chase tells Cameron

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**Chapter 40**

Lisa was lost in thought, thinking about all that had taken place in the last several days. All the turmoil she had been feeling inside wondering if she and House could be together was all lost when they slept together. She should have known he wouldn't have opened up and let himself feel anything for her. He was incapable of having a relationship, she thought. She had taken a big chance and ended up with whatever feelings she had for him, thrown back into her face. _What a fool I was, _she scoffed. Since their little talk in her office, she had been avoiding him because she just wasn't sure how she would handle his casual air towards her, as if she was just another hooker he had slept with. Then there was Wilson who she hadn't had the courage to even speak to yet. She had treated him horribly and she knew the longer she put off talking to him, the harder it was going to be.

She suddenly realized that she hadn't seen Christy yet, who was almost an hour late. This was not like her. Christy was much too efficient to not call if she was going to be late or not come in at all. Lisa checked her notes to see if she had over looked a message from her young assistant telling her she was going to be late today but found nothing that indicated such. She dialed Christy's cell number, getting only her voice mail. She left a brief message, hoping she would hear from her soon.

She checked her appointments and saw she had only one meeting and it wasn't until the afternoon. She continued to thumb her fingers on her desk, contemplating on doing what she had been avoiding the past couple of days. She knew she needed to deal with the situation and headed to Wilson's office. As she rode the elevators up to the fourth floor, she wondered if he would actually speak to her. Once she was standing outside his door, for a split second, she had the sudden urge to run but held her ground and after hesitating for a few seconds, she knocked.

Wilson wasn't having a good morning and was annoyed by another distraction. He sighed heavily. "Come in." He said as he kept writing in a file. At first he didn't look up but when he didn't hear anything, he glanced up to see who had entered his office. Needless to say, he was surprised to see Lisa Cuddy standing in the doorway.

Lisa smiled, hoping he wasn't going to ask her to leave. "Is this a good time?" She stupidly asked.

"Not really but come in anyway. What's up?" He tried to ask casually.

Lisa quietly shut the door behind her and sat down in one of the chairs facing his desk. "I came here to apologize."

Wilson was not in the mood to talk or to play any games. "For what?"

"You know for what. For my stupid actions." Lisa admitted.

"Oh, you mean for sleeping with House." Wilson stated sarcastically.

Lisa blushed and glanced away. "For being insensitive to your feelings is what I meant." She explained.

"So, you're not apologizing for sleeping with House, not that I think you should. You and House are adults… well you're an adult. House on the other hand is a selfish child and doesn't give a damn about other people… but you usually do… give a damn." His eyes were filled with disappointment.

Lisa's breath caught in her throat when she saw the look in his eyes. "I'm not here to make excuses. I know I hurt you. You should know that House didn't know anything until afterwards." She said hoping this would give him some comfort.

"I gathered that when he told me he slept with you but you knew I felt something for you."

"I know James and I'm truly sorry." She said with sincerity.

Wilson held up his hand for her to stop. "Please stop. I have always known you felt something for House and he for you. But I thought I could change that and I was wrong. It's probably what has been keeping me from asking you out for so long." He stopped and looked away hoping she didn't see the look of embarrassment that crossed his face.

"You don't have to compete with House. You are wonderful person. Besides, I'm pretty sure I made a mistake where House is concerned."

"Nevertheless Lisa, you have feelings for him." He stared into her eyes. "Let's just try and move past this."

"By moving past things, are you saying…"

"Let's just be friends." Wilson answered.

Lisa is somewhat disappointed in Wilson's answer. "I suppose that's better than enemies."

"It is in my book." Wilson said with a half smile.

She watched as he started writing again in his file somewhat dismissing her. "Well, I better let you get back to work." She said and made her way to the door.

Wilson stopped what he was doing and looked up. Lisa was just about to walk out but he stopped her. "Lisa." She stopped and stepped back inside. "Yes?"

"I don't hate you and I would like to say that what happened doesn't bother me but it does. If it had been any one else other than House maybe it wouldn't have bothered me so much. I just need time."

"I know." She answered softly and closed the door.

Wilson listened to the clicking of her heels as she walked down the hall. He wanted to hate her but he couldn't. He was hurt and angry and surprised at how deeply he cared for her. He hadn't expected to feel so much. He didn't know if he would ever find the strength to try and be close to her again. There would always be House and House was a mountain... an impossible object to move or get past.

He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost time for his appointment. He needed to work, hoping it would distract him from the irritating thoughts that filled his head.

**********

Chase stood outside the lab and watched Cameron as she looked through the microscope. _How many times have I silently watched her, thinking how beautiful she is? _He thought. He was definitely not looking forward to the conversation he was about to have with her but now that House knew his secret, he had to come forward. He wasn't absolutely sure if House was serious about his threat but he didn't want to find out. He opened the lab doors and saw the curious look Cameron gave him as she looked up.

Cameron was surprised to see Chase walk in. She watched him silently as he moved towards her.

Chase stared into Cameron's green eyes and waited, hoping she would say something first but she didn't make a sound. Finally, he cleared his throat and spoke.

"Do you have a moment?" He asked more meekly than he meant to.

Cameron furrowed her brow. She was curious why Chase sounded so nervous. "I have a moment."

Chase nervously glanced away. "I have something I want… I need to talk to you about."

Cameron raised her right eyebrow. "Okay." She said and relaxed her stance slightly.

"I know I have hurt you. I also know that I have been blaming you for everything."

Cameron didn't say anything. Only waited for him to continue.

Chase hesitated. "The truth is, I haven't been completely honest with you."

This comment brought a response. "Really? How's that?" She asked softly.

"I have…" He cleared his throat again. "I have been… seeing someone else… while we were still together."

The last part was barely audible but Cameron understood what he had said. She swallowed hard and breathed in deeply. She was quiet for several minutes.

Cameron's silence only made Chase more nervous. "Say something Allison, please."

"Say what, exactly? Are you here to ask for my forgiveness so you can be guilt free?" She asked in a cold, unemotional tone. She was reeling inside but she was trying to remain calm.

"No. I'm not here to ask for your forgiveness because I know you would never give it to me but I thought it only fair to let you know that what happened between us wasn't just your fault."

"I know that." She paused for a few seconds. "How long?"

Chase looked curiously at her. "What?"

"How long have you been seeing her?"

Chase took a deep breath. He was very uncomfortable talking about this. "A couple of months, maybe a little longer."

"Someone here at the hospital?"

"I think it's best you not know who it is."

"Why do men say that? That is a stupid comment. Best for who? If she works here don't you think I'm eventually going to figure it out?" She asked with a cold little laugh.

"Brook."

"You mean Brook who is on your surgical staff? Go figure."

"It just happened."

"Another stupid comment. Nothing ever just happens." Cameron couldn't stop the tears that suddenly swelled behind her eyes making them a lighter shade of green.

Chase saw the emotion welling up in her eyes. "I'm sorry Allison."

Cameron turned her head and wiped the one tear that escaped down her cheek.

"I really didn't plan on having a relationship with Brook. She and I just started talking and one thing led to another. You know I have been unhappy for awhile." He said defending his actions.

"So, that makes it okay for you to sleep with someone while we're still together?"

"No, of course not. I know it was wrong. I just…"

She stopped him. "I know. I knew that you weren't happy. I just figured it would pass. You know me. I have this need to make everything work."

"I wanted to make it work too." He said truthfully. "But this obsession you have with House is going to ruin any relationship you try to have."

"Are you kidding me?" Cameron suddenly became angry. "Do not make this about House again."

"You know he will never be able to give you what you want or need."

"Chase, stop. I took this job because I am good at it and I like doing it. My feelings for House are gone."

"No they aren't Allison. You love him, still. I can see it in your eyes. I felt it every time I was with you. He is why you couldn't leave. Be honest with yourself. No one is ever going to measure up to House in your mind and he is never going to care about you the way you want him too."

"Can we please not talk about this any more?"

Chase looked at the floor and shook his head. "He knows about me and Brook."

"Who? House? How does he know?" She asked.

Chase laughed slightly. "He saw us together the other day and confronted me about it. He actually threatened me if I didn't tell you."

Cameron's mouth fell slightly open. "So, this is why you are telling me?"

"Yes. Otherwise, I probably wouldn't have had the balls to come forward. As much as I hate to admit it, he was really concerned about you. Maybe he has a heart after all. If anyone can bring it out, it would be you."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you are probably the only person who is capable of bringing that part out of him that makes him human." He gave her a little smile. "I just don't want to see him hurt you again."

"He's not going to hurt me."

Chase looked away and was silent for a minute. "I'm sorry I caused you pain Allison."

"And I'm sorry I couldn't give you what you needed."

They both gave each other a silent good bye and Chase left.

Cameron suddenly couldn't hold back the tears any more and before she knew it, tears were streaming down her face. She quickly left the lab before anyone could see her and headed to the outside balcony and stood off to the side where no one could see her and cried.


	41. Cameron receives a present

****************

**Chapter 41**

Cameron didn't know how long she had been standing out on the balcony when she realized she was shivering. A light rain had started falling, forcing her to go back inside. She had so many thoughts running through her head… so many things to sort through, she didn't know where to begin. She did know it had been a long week and she was glad tonight was her last night in the ER. She was tired and all she wanted to do was spend the weekend alone, curled up on her sofa with comfort food and a bottle of wine. If she could only avoid House for the next few hours, she might survive the rest of the day. After what Chase had said about her still having feelings for House and House knowing that she had lied about sleeping with Wilson, she just really didn't want to deal with him right now. Not to mention finding out that Chase had been seeing someone else while they were together. It was just too much to deal with.

She was heading back to the lab when her cell phone went off. She looked at it to see it was the front desk in the lobby. She curiously answered. "This is Dr. Cameron.

"Dr. Cameron, there is a delivery here for you." The sweet old voice said on the other end. "If you would like, we can have it brought up to you."

"No, that's okay. I'll be down in a few minutes."

Cameron placed her phone back into her pocket, wondering who had sent her something. She decided on the stairs and quickly took them to the lobby. A few minutes later, she was standing in front of the elderly woman who had just called her.

"Hi, I'm Dr. Cameron." She said with a curious smile.

The older woman smiled and reached behind her and picked up a long white box that was sitting on the counter. "This is for you." She said and handed Cameron the white box.

Cameron was very curious to see what was in the box and carefully opened it. She was surprised at it's contents.

Several of the other woman who were behind the counter ooed and awed.

Inside were sixteen, very beautiful, long stem red roses, with a card lying on top. Cameron sat the box down so she could open the card, wondering who the gift was from. As she pulled the card out of the envelope, her heart skipped a beat and a sickening feeling started to burn her insides. The card was completely covered with pictures of her. Pictures that were taken of her from various places. She slowly opened it and read the words.

"_**For my Angel. I am never far away."**_

Cameron placed the card back in the box and quickly closed the lid and headed to Cuddy's office.

**********

House was staring out his window when Wilson stepped in and interrupted his thoughts.

"Hey." Wilson said as he stepped inside.

House was a little surprised to see his best friend standing in the doorway. "Surprised to see you here."

Wilson shrugged his shoulders. "We haven't talked in a couple of days. Thought I would drop by and see what's going on." He said as he walked across the room.

"You mean you want to know if I have been having secret meetings with Cuddles and her twins?" House smirked.

"Funny. No. I'm not wondering about that." Wilson said honestly. "I had a visit from Lisa this morning."

"Really. And what did she have to say?" House asked flipping a pen into the air.

"Not much. She apologized and said you were an ass." He said with a half cocked smile.

"I'm sure she did. She and I haven't really talked since the mattress mambo."

"Can we not talk about that, please." Wilson winced.

House saw the look of pain that briefly crossed Wilson's face. "Sorry." He said in a low tone.

"Did you ever talk to Cameron?" Wilson asked.

"Nope." House answered sharply.

"Aren't you the least bit curious as to why she said what she said?"

"Nope." House lied.

"Liar. You so want to know. Ask her." Wilson pushed.

"Why? So she can lie again?"

"Why would she lie?" Wilson asked watching House carefully.

"Because she does it so well." House paused. "Did she tell _you_ why she said it?"

"She said she wanted to throw you a curve ball and I believe her."

"So, you don't think she was trying to make me jealous?"

Wilson smiled. "You would like that, wouldn't you?"

"Actually, I'm glad she doesn't think about me any more."

Wilson stood. "You know what?"

"What?"

"She's not the only one who can lie well. Go talk to her."

"It's Friday night. Wanna grab a drink later?" House asked hesitantly.

Wilson stopped at the door. "Sure."

House watched Wilson leave, thankful things appeared to be getting back to normal with his friend. Then he thought about what Wilson had said and decided he was right. He needed to talk to Cameron. He called her cell phone but she didn't answer. So, he set out to find her. First stop was the lab.

**********

Lisa finished her meeting and was heading back to her office when she saw two men in suits - a short, stocky, older man and a tall, younger man, standing in front of her office door. She was instantly alarmed. _This can't be good, _she said under her breath.

The stocky man in a suit approached her first. "Are you Dr. Cuddy?"

"Yes. Can I help you?" Lisa asked in a alarmed voice.

The man pulled out a card and handed it to her. "We are Detective's Hodges and Waters. I'm Hodges. We are here about Christy Sumner. She is an employee of yours, correct?"

Lisa unlocked her door and they followed her inside. "Yes. She works for me. Has something happened to her?" She asked as she flipped on the lights and walked to her desk.

"I'm afraid so." Detective Hodges answered. "She was found dead this morning."

Lisa stumbled backwards, completely shocked.

"Are you okay Dr. Cuddy?" Detective Waters asked.

"Yes. I just didn't expect to hear that she was dead." Lisa felt strange saying Christy was dead. "What happened?"

"She was murdered."

"Oh my God. That's horrible." Lisa said and sat down in her chair. "Where?"

"In the park on the other side of the hospital. It was actually the bluffs that overlook the park. When was the last time you spoke with Miss Sumner?" "Yesterday afternoon right before she left for the day. I left her a message this morning when she didn't show up but I never heard from her. Now, I know why." Lisa said sadly.

"We found her car in the hospital parking lot. Do you know if she was meeting anyone after work last night?"

"No. She was very sociable especially with men but I wasn't aware of her meeting any one or even having a boyfriend." Images of Christy flirting with House flashed through her head.

"There is something else." Hodges added.

"What is that?" Lisa asked.

Detective Waters handed Lisa the note that was now in a sealed plastic bag. "This was found on the body. It was in an envelope with Dr. Cameron's name typed on the front."

Lisa read the note and her mouth fell open.

"Does a Dr. Cameron work here?" Detective Waters asked.

"I'm Dr. Cameron." The two detectives and Lisa all looked up to see a pale Cameron standing in the doorway.

"Cameron, come in. Something horrible has happened." Lisa said.

"What?" Cameron asked as she stepped inside.

"It would seem that Christy is dead." Lisa responded before the detectives could say anything.

Detective Hodges took the note enclosed in plastic from Lisa and handed it to Cameron. "We found this note on her body with your name on it. It appears she was killed for you."

Cameron stared at the stocky detective with wide eyes. She took the note with a shaky hand and slowly read the words in bold type, just like the notes she had found on her jeep. "Oh my God." She said softly and read the words again.

"**This gift is for you my sweet, sweet Allison. Now you will know how much I love you and that it won't be long before we are together."**

Cameron looked up at the three people who were staring at her and remembered the white box she was still holding under her arm. "These just came for me and there is a card inside." She handed the box to the detective.

Cameron felt her heart began to race. Her throat started closing off not allowing any air to her lungs. She was having a panic attack and there was nothing she could do to stop it. The room started to spin and blackness began to fill the space around her. She was trying to fight it without anyone noticing but as she tried to sit down, she stumbled and fell backwards until two strong arms caught her and kept her from falling to the floor.

"What the hell." House said as a limp Cameron fell into his arms.


	42. House catches Cameron

****************

**Chapter 42**

House had been passing by Cuddy's office, when he saw two men talking to Cuddy and Cameron. This definitely intrigued him and being the curious person he was, he decided to do what he always did and make it his business. He headed in the direction of Cuddy's office and just as he entered the door, he saw Cameron stumble and begin to fall backwards. He quickly discarded his cane and caught her before she landed on the floor.

House looked down at an unconscious Cameron. "What the hell." He said and looked at Cuddy, who was rushing to his side to help.

House gently lifted Cameron into his arms and laid her on the sofa that was only a couple of feet away.

"Is she alright?" The detective asked.

House looked at the older man. "Who the hell are you?"

"I'm Detective Hodges."

House glanced at Cuddy with a questioning look.

Lisa saw the look in House's eyes. "Something has happened to Christy. How is she?" She asked turning her attention to Cameron.

House no sooner laid Cameron down when she opened her eyes, still gasping for air.

"I..need..to..sit..up." Cameron said as she pushed herself up.

House wrapped his arm around her shoulder so he could help her to sit up.

Lisa was kneeling beside her. "Breath Cameron." She said softly.

Cameron struggled for a minute before her breathing slowed and she could feel the air fill her lungs. She looked up to see that all eyes were upon her. It was then she realized it was House she was leaning against.

"Someone mind telling me what is going on." House asked with urgency.

"First, who are you?" The older detective asked.

"I'm God." House snapped loudly.

Lisa stood and gave the older detective an apologetic look. "This is Dr. House. He is a doctor here at Plainsboro and a friend of Dr. Cameron's." She explained to Hodges.

House felt Cameron place her hand on his leg, pushing herself away slightly.

"I'm okay." She said timidly.

He looked at her with concern but allowed her to move over slightly without saying anything.

The detective waited until Dr. Cuddy and House were satisfied that Dr. Cameron was alright before he continued "I'm Detective Hodges and this is my partner, Detective Waters. Dr. Cuddy's assistant was found dead earlier today and it would appear that the same person may be stocking Dr. Cameron."

House looked at Cuddy then back at the detectives trying to comprehend what had been said. "Someone killed Christy?"

"Yes." The detective confirmed.

"And the reason you think the same person is stocking Cameron is because of the letters?" House was trying to make the connection. He glanced at Cameron who was still very pale.

"What letters?" The detectives asked in a serious tone.

Cameron leaned forward and explained to both detectives about the letters she had received and the phone calls with no one talking on the other end.

House listened as Cameron spoke and realized for the first time, how scared she was.

"We will need to see the letters Dr. Cameron."

"They are in my desk."

"There is still the issue of the note left with Miss Sumner's body and also what you received today." Detective Waters added.

House looked at Cameron, questioning her with his eyes.

Cameron saw the look. "I received flowers and a card today."

Detective Hodges handed House the note that had been left on Christy's body and the card that was found with the flowers. It was obvious to Hodges that Cameron trusted House and felt it would be alright to show him the items. He watched House's reaction closely.

House read the note and looked at the card with Cameron's pictures all over it. "Where did you find the note?"

"It was left with the deceased's body." Waters answered. "It appears that Miss Sumner was killed for Dr. Cameron." He added.

Cameron placed her head in her hands. "This is crazy." She said under her breath.

"This person is crazy." House stated with disgust.

"I'm afraid that would be true." Hodges agreed.

Detective Waters pulled out his note pad and began to ask Cameron some questions. "Do you have any idea who would want to do this to you? A disgruntled boyfriend or a patient? Has there been anyone who has been acting unusual towards you?"

"I can't think of anyone." Cameron told the two detectives.

"We will need you to come down to the station and make a formal complaint." Waters said.

"Does it have to be today?" She asked.

"No. Tomorrow would be fine." Detective Hodges answered kindly.

Cameron stood slowly. House immediately stood beside her, making sure she was steady on her feet.

Cameron looked at House letting him know silently that she was okay.

The older detective watched how Cameron and House looked at one another.

"Cameron." Lisa said. "I don't want you to work in the ER tonight. You're done there. I will have someone come in to cover for you."

"Thanks Lisa but I can cover my shift. It's my last night."

Detective Waters butted in. "She's right Dr. Cameron. You should skip your shift tonight to be on the safe side."

Cameron glanced away from all the eyes that were upon her and sighed. "Fine."

"What now?" Lisa asked.

"Well, we will need to take a look at the security tapes from the parking lot. Do you have cameras in the lobby?"

"Yes." She answered.

"I will need to look at those tapes too. I also need the three of you to understand that everything we have discussed today is to remain completely confidential. Once the news leaks out about your assistant there will be questions asked. I suggest you keep answers to a minimal and refer them to me or my partner and notify either one of us if you think of anything else. Sometimes the smallest thing can mean something. We will also be talking to some of the staff."

Lisa nodded her head.

"What about Cameron?" House asked.

Detective Hodges studied House for a minute before he answered. "I suggest that she not be alone. We are obviously dealing with a very sick individual here. At this point, we don't know anything about this person. We don't know if they were associated with Ms. Sumner and Dr. Cameron or only Dr. Cameron. So from here on out, you should be extremely cautious, Dr. Cameron."

"This is insane. I can't be watched until you find him." Cameron said more steadily than she felt.

"Let us do our job Dr. Cameron. We might find a lead and this could be over with before you know it." Hodges said. "I would like those letters before we leave." "I will get them for you." Cameron answered. "Is there anything else?" She asked.

"Here's my card. Call if anything else happens or if you think of something. And Dr. Cameron."

"Yes?"

"I'm serious about not being alone."

She nodded her head again and left the office.

House waited until Cameron was gone. "Do you think this guy will try to hurt Cameron?"

"It's possible. It's always a guessing game with these guys. However, it seems like he's trying to get a message to her. Hopefully we will get to him before he makes contact with her." Hodges said.

"Do you think he will do that… make contact with her?" House asked.

Hodges stared hard at House. "We have to believe he will. To underestimate him, could have devastating results."

House looked at Cuddy who had a concerned look on her face. "I'll be on my cell if you need me." He said to her and left to follow Cameron.

Hodges watched House leave, wondering what the real story was between him and Dr. Cameron. He looked at Lisa. "Are you sure Dr. House and Dr. Cameron are just friends?" He asked.

Lisa was somewhat taken back with the detective's question. "Why do you ask that?" She asked.

"I'm usually pretty good at reading people and there is definitely something between those two."

Lisa looked past the detective, wondering if she had been ignoring the signs that may have been in front of her the whole time.

**********

A few minutes later, House found Cameron going through her desk. "He's right."

Cameron looked up at House. "Who's right?"

"You shouldn't be alone."

"I don't need a babysitter." She said stubbornly and walked towards the door with the letters in her hand.

House stuck his arm out and stopped her. "This is serious Cameron."

"Who is going to watch over me? You?" She asked looking into his blue eyes.

"That's not a bad idea." He answered.

"Really and I suppose you're up for that? There would be no sex involved."

A cocky grin crossed House's face. "I can deal with that."

"Well, in that case, I hope you want a drink because I plan on drinking tonight." She said and pushed past him and stepped into the hallway.

"Sounds like fun." He answered quietly as he watched her walk away.

**********

House and Cameron walked threw the lobby together, unaware of the dark pair of eyes watching them. Steven Mayer was not happy about the turn of events. He had hoped his gifts would have made her happy, he thought in his delusional way of thinking. But it would seem it had done the opposite of what he wanted and chased her right into the arms of the one person he definitely didn't want her with.

He continued watching them until they both pulled out of the parking lot with Cameron following close behind the speedy bike.


	43. Cameron gets drunk

****************

**Chapter 43**

Cameron followed House to his place and waited outside while he ran inside to get something. A few minutes later, House strolled out of his condo, caring a small duffle bag. As he walked towards her, she couldn't help but think how handsome he was, even with his limp and his unshaven face. It was definitely part of his charm, she thought. She smiled but quickly let the smile fall to the wayside when he opened the back passenger door and tossed the bag into the backseat. She glanced over her shoulder at the bag but didn't say anything. House then opened the front passenger door and climb in.

Cameron looked at him. "You don't want to take your bike?"

"Nope. You said you intended on drinking and I didn't think riding on the back of my bike snockered would be a very smart thing to do."

Cameron laughed. "And the bag?"

"What? You didn't take me serious when I accepted your offer to baby sit you?" He said with a serious look.

"I don't expect you to baby sit me, House."

"Let's just get through tonight Cameron." He said, staring intently at her.

Cameron locked her eyes with his and wondered exactly what that statement meant, _get through tonight_. "Okay." She finally said and put her car into drive.

"Let's get this show on the road. We are wasting valuable drinking time." House said, trying to lighten the mood some.

"Where to?" She asked.

"Head towards downtown. I know the perfect place." He said and started playing with the radio.

Cameron headed in the direction House told her and twenty minutes later, they turned into a narrow alley. There was a blinking blue neon light above a side entrance that read "The Hideaway." Cameron pulled into a parking space in the back.

"This is definitely a hideaway." Cameron said loudly under her breath.

"That's the idea isn't it?" House shot back.

They both got out and walked into the small bar.

Cameron let her eyes adjust to the dimly lit area, instantly noticing the musty smell, which reminded her of a little bar along the wharf in Seattle where she had a drink at when she was there for a seminar last fall. She started to glance around the room when she felt House place his hand at the small of her back and guide her to a booth on the other side of the room. The seats of the booth were very worn and the table well used. She sat down and looked around at the characters that filled the room. They were all men. She noticed that there were none in suits but all were in jeans and work shirts and ball caps. Most were probably stopping by for a beer before heading home after a long hard week. The two pool tables in the back were surrounded by what looked like to be construction workers that were enjoying their Friday night. Cameron smiled to herself and thought how perfect the place felt.

House saw how she was scoping out the place. "Find anything or anyone interesting?"

"How did you find this place?" She asked still looking around the room.

"I stumbled in here one night after Stacy and I had broke up and I have been stumbling in here ever since."

House mentioning Stacy made Cameron look at him. "Well, it's a very interesting place."

"Do you approve?"

"Yes I do. Looks like a good place to get drunk." She said with a little laugh.

"I have definitely done some of that here. Sully has seen me at my worst."

"Sully?" Cameron asked curiously.

"That man over there." House pointed to the round, balding man waddling towards them.

Cameron looked in the direction House was pointing.

Before House could say anything else, a big boisterous voice with an Irish accent, sounded through the room. "Greg. How the hell are you?" He said as he took House's hand and squeezed it with both of his hands. "It's been a while."

"Yes it has." House answered with a smile.

Cameron noticed how genuinely glad the man was to see House.

"I see you brought a friend with you and what a beauty she is." Sully said looking Cameron up and down. "Does she have a name?"

"This is Dr. Allison Cameron." House replied.

Cameron smiled as Sully took her hand and gently squeezed it. She was surprised to hear House say her first name.

"Pleased to meet you my dear. I'm Sullivan MacNally but my friends call me Sully. I'm the owner of this fine establishment." He said with a grin that filled his plump round face.

"Nice to meet you Sully." Cameron said returning the grin.

"You must be pretty special." Sully said to her.

Cameron glanced at House awkwardly then back at Sully. "Why do you say that?"

"Because in the four years I have known this chap, he has never brought anyone in here with him."

House averted his eyes away from Cameron's sideways glance.

Sully could feel the awkwardness between the two and cleared his throat. "So, what brings you my way?"

"I had a craving for your greasy food and your cold beer." House answered, not revealing the real reason why he and Cameron were there.

Sully placed his hand over his heart. "Not because you missed me? I'm hurt Gregory."

Cameron smiled again at hearing House being called by his full name.

"So, what can I get you two."

House looked at Cameron.

Cameron realized he was waiting on her to order first. "I will have a beer and a shot of bourbon."

Sully reached over and squeezed Cameron's shoulder and looked at House. "At least you brought a Lass that knows how to drink."

House gave Cameron a surprised look. "I guess so. Bring us two ales and two shots of bourbon."

"Will do. How about two of my cheese burgers?" Sully asked.

"Sounds good to me but Cameron doesn't eat meat."

Sully didn't skip a beat. "Not a problem. I've been keeping up with the times. I can fix you one of those veggie burgers."

Cameron couldn't help but grin at the jolly, plump man. "That sounds great."

This pleased Sully. "The burgers and the first round are on the house." He said as he walked away to fix their food.

"I like him." Cameron said.

"Sully's a good man."

"So, am I really the first person you brought here?"

"Yep."

"Not even Wilson?"

House relaxed a little in the booth. "Sully knows that when I walk through that door, all I want to do is be alone and to drink."

They were interrupted slightly when the waitress sat their drinks in front of them.

Cameorn took a small sip of her beer.

House picked up his shot of bourbon. "Shall we?"

Cameron joined him and they both downed the shot in one swallow. House watched her. "I was half way expecting you to order one of those girly drinks."

"I said I wanted to drink."

"I know. I just didn't know if you knew how to drink."

"There's probably a lot you don't know about me." She said.

"Well, I'm all ears tonight."

"Get me drunk enough and there's no telling what I will reveal." She said mischievously.

"Definitely sounds like a good plan. I can even take pictures with my phone."

"No pictures! The last thing I need is you sending drunk pictures of me to everyone."

"Oh, but that would be so much fun." He continued to tease.

"I mean it House. No pictures." She tried to say seriously.

House had to laugh at her insistence about not taking pictures.

They sat quietly for a few minutes, letting the silence build between them.

Cameron glanced around the room and back at House who was also looking around the room. She took another sip of her beer and then cleared her throat. "Why did you bring me here? This is obviously your secret place."

"It is and you are sworn to secrecy. If you tell anyone I will have to kill you."

Cameron smiled as she took another drink. She was nervous and needed the alcohol to start working it's magic.

"I thought maybe you could use a place to get away tonight." House confessed.

"Thanks. I like it here." She said sincerely.

"Yeah. It kind of draws you in but don't plan on making it your place."

"Of course not." She said in a teasing voice.

They talked back and forth about nothing in particular when their food arrived. Cameron didn't realize how hungry she was until she smelled the food. "Wow. This smells great."

It didn't take long before they both dug into their food.

After a few bites, House stopped eating and watch Cameron as she ate. She was making all kinds of pleasing sounds as she chewed her food. House realized he was enjoying himself, watching her eat.

Cameron didn't notice that House was watching her. Before she knew it, she had finished the whole thing. "I can't believe I ate that whole burger. It was delicious."

"It must have been. From the sounds you were making, one would think you were having sex with the thing."

Cameron blushed and wiped her mouth with her napkin. "I was enjoying myself." She said in her defense.

After they finished eating, they continued to talk and ordered several more drinks.

Cameron suddenly realized she was starting to feel no pain. "Where are the bathrooms?" She asked, slightly slurring her words.

"In the back, by the pool tables." House answered with a grin, noticing the slurred words.

"I'll be right back." She said and slid out of the booth and carefully placed one foot in front of the other, hoping he wouldn't notice she was already a little drunk.

A few minutes later, Cameron headed back to where she and House were sitting.

House couldn't suppress the smile as he watched her sway a little as she made her way back to the booth. It was a side of her he had never seen before and he was enjoying it.

"Thanks for doing this." She said as she sat back down.

"Doing what? Getting you drunk. Trust me. It's a pleasure." House said with a half cocked grin.

They sat again in awkward silence when House ordered another round of drinks.

Cameron looked him. "If you keep ordering drinks, I'm not going to be able to walk out of here."

"I thought you wanted to forget about everything for awhile." He asked.

The light in Cameron's eyes dulled as thoughts of Christy and the days events filtered into her head.

House instantly saw the change in her face and without thinking, reached over and laid his hand on top of hers. Her eyes were closed. "Cameron?" He said softly.

Cameron didn't want to open her eyes and let him see the tears she was holding back. She needed to think about something else.

House pulled his hand away so the waitress could sit down their new round of drinks.

Cameron opened her eyes and quickly dried the wetness underneath them, hoping House didn't see but he didn't have to see to know how much emotion she was holding in.

"Let's talk about something else." She suddenly said and looked at the fresh beer and new shot of bourbon sitting in front of her. She quickly picked up the shot and downed it. "This shot will probably do me in." She said, feeling her head begin to swim.

House picked up his glass of scotch and took a sip, not saying anything.

"Chase stopped by to see me today." She suddenly said.

House noticed how heavy her words were becoming. "And?" He asked.

She glanced away from his intense look. "He told me about Brook and he told me that you knew. He said you threatened him. Is that true?"

"Chase can be such a girl. He's very dramatic."

"Sometimes." She said, blinking her eyes slowly. The alcohol was consuming her now.

House ran his finger through the sweat on the side of his glass. "I just thought it best he tell you and not me. Besides, he has been jerking your chain for weeks. You deserved to know the truth. I never thought Chase was good for you."

"Really. And who is?" She asked in an amused, drunk tone.

House watched her carefully. Her emerald eyes were glassed over and she was trying to keep a serious look on her face. "Someone who really deserves you."

Even drunk, Cameron was taken back by his answer. "Oh."

"I'm going to go take care of the tab. I think it's time we go."

"No. I'm having fun." She said with a pout.

"And it's starting to show." He said and went to pay the bill and to say goodnight to Sully.

House tossed his credit card on the bar and asked Sully for his tab.

Sully picked up the card. "It was good to see you Gregory. You usually aren't leaving sober."

"It was her turn tonight." House answered, nodding towards Cameron.

Both men watched has Cameron stood, swaying from side to side, trying to put her coat on.

"You better help her before she falls over." Sully chuckled. "Bring her back with you sometime."

"I might do that." He said as he signed the ticket.

On his way to the table, he pulled out the orange vile and popped a couple of pills and swallowed. Just as he was about to reach Cameron, he stopped and watched in amusement. She was quite a sight, he thought as she kept fighting with one of her coat sleeves. Finally he stepped closer and helped her with her jacket.

"Thanks." She mumbled.

"Let's go princess." He said and with his cane in one hand and his other arm wrapped around Cameron's waist, he guided her out of the little bar.

She managed to climb in the passenger seat of her jeep without any problems and House climbed into the driver's seat and started the car. He looked over to make sure her seat belt was fastened and saw that she was holding her hand in front of her face, counting her fingers.

She looked over at him and placed her hand against the side of his face. "What are you looking at Gregory." Cameron slurred heavily with a laugh.

"Just you." He answered and pulled out and headed towards Cameron's apartment.


	44. Cameron's apartment

****************

**Chapter 44**

Lisa had just dozed off on her sofa with a stack of files laying on her chest, when she heard the doorbell ring. It took her a few minutes to realize that it was real and not a dream. She groggily looked at the clock on the wall and saw it was almost ten o'clock._ Who could that be?_ She wondered. She pulled her robe closed and shuffled to the front door. Needless to say, she was very surprised to see Wilson standing on her front porch. She quickly opened the door.

"James. Come in." She said excitedly.

"I saw your light on and decided to stop. I hope I'm not bothering you."

"Your not. Is something wrong?"

"Not with me. I'm here to see if you're doing okay with everything that has happened today."

She smiled warmly at him. "How about some coffee?" She asked not waiting for him to answer and headed to the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind instant."

Wilson followed. "You don't have to make coffee Lisa. I just wanted to see if you were okay."

She turned around and faced him. "I'm okay." She lied. "Have a cup of coffee with me."

Wilson knew she was lying about being okay but he let it drop. He walked over and opened one of the cabinet doors. "Where are your cups?" He asked.

"Next cabinet."

Wilson grabbed two cups and sat them down on the counter. Lisa put the dark crystals into the cups and filled them with hot water. "Cream or sugar?" She asked.

"Sugar." He answered.

They both took their cups and sat down at the kitchen table. Silence filled the room.

Wilson looked at her and saw that even with her hair in disarray and her mascara smeared underneath her eyes, she was still very attractive. However, he was still licking his wounds from the incident between her and House. He was very cautious to not let himself get too close to her again but he couldn't deny that he still had feelings for her. He leaned forward slightly and cleared his throat.

She glanced over at him. "I'm surprised you stopped by." She said as she held the hot mug in her hands.

"I'm surprised too but I was worried about you." He admitted.

"You could have called." She said softly.

"I know but I wanted to see you. A lot has happened today. Did you speak with Christy's family?"

"I spoke with her father. I didn't know what to say." She said sadly.

"What could you say? Do the police have any clues on who could have done this?" Wilson asked.

Lisa shook her head no. "I can't believe someone killed her and this same person could be stalking Cameron. It's like something you see in a movie."

"Yeah. House and I were suppose to go out for a drink tonight but he called and told me he was spending the evening with Cameron." He said and took a sip of his coffee.

"That doesn't surprise me. You should have seen him today James… with Cameron. He was really concerned about her. I don't know why I never saw it before."

"Saw what?"

"That House really cares for Cameron."

"House does care once in awhile. He's just really good at hiding it." Wilson said.

"No, today he was different. He was genuinely worried about her."

"Maybe you never wanted to see it. I'm not even sure House knows he cares for Cameron. He denies everything that remotely deals with emotion."

Lisa looked at Wilson. "So, you knew he cared about her."

"I suspected. Even before Cameron left, House showed signs that he had feelings for her but whenever I confronted him about it, he would always give me some lame excuse about why things would never work between them." Wilson paused. "He cares for you too Lisa."

Lisa swallowed the warm liquid in her mouth. "Not like that."

"Are you in love with him?" Wilson asked hesitantly, not really sure he wanted to hear the answer.

She let out something that sounded like a fake laugh. "No. I'm not in love with him. Honestly, I don't know what I feel any more."

Silence filled the room again.

"I better go." He suddenly said. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."

They both stood and Wilson gave her a sheepish look.

"Thanks for coming by." She said and walked him to the door.

"You know if you need anything, you can call me."

She placed her hand on his shoulder. "I know."

He took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze. "Goodnight Lisa."

"Goodnight."

Lisa closed the door and leaned against it, suddenly feeling like a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. She went through the house and turned off the lights and as she laid her head down on her pillow, a smile crossed her lips. For the first time in a quite a while, it wasn't Greg House she fell asleep thinking about.

**************

Cameron leaned against the wall outside her front door and waited as House placed the key into the lock. She was doing her best to not act drunk but it wasn't working too well. A few seconds later, the click of the lock echoed loudly and House pushed open the door. He stepped to the side, allowing Cameron to go in first.

Once inside, Cameron flung off her coat and tossed it on the chair, not caring that it fell to the floor. She then kicked her shoes off and continued down the hall to her bedroom.

"There's beer in the frig if you want one." She said over her shoulder.

House closed the door behind him, contemplating on just leaving but decided to take Cameron up on her offer and grab a beer before he made that decision. He still had a buzz from the drinks he had earlier and the beer would help it continue. Thinking that Cameron may just go to bed, he made his way into her small living room and tried to relax, still not sure if he should stay or not. He looked around and was somewhat impressed with her decorative choices. He had only been inside a couple of times before and both times, he was only there for a few minutes. So he had never really paid attention to what her place looked like. It was warm and inviting… had a homey feel to it.

He could hear Cameron fussing with something in her bedroom and wondered what she was doing but chose to stay where he was at and not investigate. Instead, he turned his attention to the built in bookshelves that were full of an array of books. Many were medical books, self help books but there were history books and mystery books as well. Several of the books he had himself and he wondered if she knew that, but then why would she? On one of the shelves, towards the bottom, something caught his eye. A brown scrapbook was stuffed in on top of the other books. Curiosity got the better of him and he carefully pulled it out and opened it, noticing that many of the pages were tattered and torn. He gently flipped through the pages, seeing that there were many cards and keepsakes carefully arranged on each of the pages. In the middle of the book were several pictures of Cameron as a little girl. Many showed her in pig tails, smiling ear to ear with her front teeth missing. A smiled tugged at House's mouth as he looked at the little girl in the picture. A couple photos showed an older Cameron, probably high school age. He held one of the pictures and studied it for a minute making note that even then, something about her stood out. He placed the pictures back and was putting the scrap book back where he found it, when a noise behind him caught his attention, causing him to turn around. At first, his mind didn't register what he was seeing before him and he had to blink his eyes several times to give his mind time to catch up.

Across the room, holding herself steady by placing her hand on the wall, was Cameron. She was standing before him in nothing but a black lacy bra and matching French cut panties. The black, strappy high heeled shoes made her legs appear longer than they really were. Her hair was tossled over her shoulders and the glow of the light coming from the lamp beside her, made her skin look creamy, almost edible. The scene completely took House's breath away. He subconsciously licked his lips and the only word that came to mind, was unbelievable. He couldn't believe it was Cameron standing before him like that. She was breath taking, every inch of her. Every curve was perfect.

"Are you going to come over here or am I going to have to go over there?" She asked, in a sultry voice.

It was a voice House had never heard before and it made his heart race. He couldn't say a word. He was frozen.

After a minute of waiting, Cameron grew impatient and decided she was going to have to make the first move. Even with all the alcohol she had consumed earlier, she managed to seductively moved across the room towards him.

House stood very still as he watched her move across the room like a sleek leopard about to pounce on its prey. She was slowly closing the space between them. He was afraid to even breathe. It wasn't until she took the beer from his hand, that he realized he had been holding his breath. He watched as she wrapped her pink lips completely around the top of the beer bottle and took a drink. She pulled the bottle away and sat it on the coffee table beside her. She then wrapped her arms around his neck placing her mouth only inches from his and looked up at him. Her eyes were dark and lusty.

"So, Doctor House, are you going to kiss me?" She asked in a whispery voice.

House wasn't sure how to respond but before he could give it another thought, he felt Cameron's soft lips press against his. At first he remained stiff, keeping his arms at his side, his mouth closed but feeling her tongue dancing on his lips, he finally gave in and let her enter, tasting the sweetness of her tongue on his. He instantly placed his hands on her slender hips and pulled her closer. He could feel the heat from her body as she melted into him. Their tongues began to dance faster as the kiss became harder. His head was spinning, his breathing becoming heavier and he could feel himself becoming aroused. When she grabbed the hair on the back of his head and slightly pulled, letting him know she wanted more, it was almost his undoing. But… reality of the situation began to creep into his head and he realized he couldn't do this. He grabbed Cameron's arms and pulled her away abruptly. He looked down at her upturned face and saw that her eyes were still closed.

Cameron slowly opened her eyes. "Why did you stop?" She asked breathlessly.

House was still trying to catch his breath. "We can't… I can't… do this."

With her head still swimming with alcohol, it took a few seconds for his words to sink in. When they did, she stepped back and stared at him. Her face was still flushed from the rush of the kiss. "Why? Surely I don't detest you that much."

"You definitely don't detest me."

"Then why? I'm offering you one night of free sex. No strings. No ties. One night and it's over with." She said, now biting her bottom lip.

House was still mesmerized by her beauty. It took all his strength to not take her in his arms again and do to her what she wanted… what he wanted. "I can't Cameron." He finally managed to say.

Cameron clumsily stumbled a little as she backed up to her sofa and sat down. "You're kidding, right? I offer you one night of sex with no strings attached and you turn me down? You really do hate me."

House knew that it was mainly the alcohol talking but he knew she was genuinely hurt by his actions. "I don't hate you Cameron. You know that." He said, still standing in the same spot.

"Really? I find that hard to believe." Tears were beginning to sting her eyes.

House saw the tears and he hated himself.

"Chase was right."

Her comment caught him off guard. "Chase. What does Chase have to do with this?"

"He said you would never love me the way I love you and that I was crazy for still holding on." She placed her head in her hands and began to cry.

"You're drunk Cameron. You don't know what you're saying or doing."

Cameron snapped her head up. "I do know what I'm saying and doing." She slurred. "I'm trying to get you to make love to me and you won't touch me." She stood, unsteadily.

House reached out to help her.

Cameron swatted his hand away. "Don't touch me! Just get the hell out!" She shouted and pushed past him and made her way towards her bedroom.

House sighed and ran his hand through his hair. Hearing her cry tore at his insides and all he wanted to do was run. He was stupid for thinking he could do this, to stay with her and pretend there were no feelings involved, for either of them. The last thing he wanted was to feel anything for her. _It was Cameron for Gods Sake! _He shouted in his head. She is everything he doesn't want in his life.

He could still feel the bulge in his pants from the kiss they shared only moments ago and this angered him even more. He didn't want to desire her and it pissed him off that his body betrayed him. He quickly put on his leather jacket and headed for the door. He didn't need this. Hell, he didn't want this! He could still hear her muffled cries and he squeezed his eyes shut, trying to block out the sound. He placed his hand on the door knob and swung open the door. The rush of the cool air against his face made him feel free… free of her, free of feelings. He quickly started limping down the sidewalk, fishing for the orange vile in his coat pocket when he remembered he didn't have his bike there. _Son of a bitch! _He said out loud. He stopped and sighed heavily. He pulled out his cell phone to call a taxi when he realized he didn't lock her front door either. He shook his head, sure that there was some force out there trying to punish him. He reluctantly turned around and slowly headed back so he could lock the door. His anger subsided some and the memory of why he was there entered his head. Someone wanted to hurt Cameron and she was alone. It wasn't her fault that he was stupid enough to offer his help. _And why did I do that? _He wondered. _I never offer to help. She gave me every opportunity to bow out but I didn't do it._ He mumbled as he made his way up the sidewalk. He stood outside the door and looked upwards as if he was going to find an answer in the stars. He knew he was being an ass and doing what he always did and that was thinking about himself. He also knew he couldn't leave her like this.

He took a deep breath and walked back inside. He listened for any signs that she might still be awake but he didn't hear anything. He locked the door and against his better judgment, he limped quietly down the hall to her bedroom and pushed her door open. She was lying on her side on the bed, still in her shoes. He could see that she was shivering from the coolness of the room. He stepped closer and stared down at her face, still wet from the tears. It amazed him at how fragile she looked lying there. He reached down and carefully removed her shoes, one at a time, causing her to stir.

"I thought I told you to leave." She said in a stubborn tone.

"When do I ever listen?" He whispered and pulled the covers over her small form. He then reached over and turned out the lamp.

"Are you staying?" She asked barely above a whisper.

He paused. "Yes." He finally answered.

Cameron rolled over on her back and tapped the bed. "In here."

House stared at her and then at the bed.

"House?" She mumbled.

He knew he shouldn't but he wanted to. He kicked off his shoes and walked to the other side of the bed and hung his cane on the corner of her dresser. He undid his belt and slipped off his jeans and gently climbed into the bed next to her and pulled the covers over his tired body. He laid very still, his breathing shallow. Lying next to Cameron was uncharted territory and it felt strange to be so close to her. Just as he was starting to relax, he felt her move closer to him, placing her head and her hand on his chest. His breath caught in his throat. His first instinct was to move, get up, run again… but then the smell of her hair and her perfume drifted through the air and it calmed him. He could feel her snuggle closer, letting out a little sigh and he could tell by her breathing that she was finally falling asleep. The warmth of her body nestled against his felt good. He relaxed and wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him. He knew that tomorrow it would all be over with and they probably would never be this close again… but tonight… tonight was what it was. One night, no ties, no strings and no regrets.


	45. The Morining After

****************

**Chapter 45**

Cameron rolled onto her back, not wanting to open her eyes yet. She could hear rain hitting her bedroom window and the sound of it only made her want to sleep longer. When she did finally open her eyes, she was surprised to see it was ten o'clock. She hadn't slept that late in a very long time. Of course, she didn't usually get drunk that often either.

She could hear noises coming from her kitchen, assuming House was probably trying to find something to eat. She was amazed that he was even still here. She could smell coffee and this gave her the energy to get out of bed. As she sat up and swung her feet over the side of the bed, the sheet fell to her waist, exposing her black lacy underwear. _When did I_ _change into this?_ She tried to remember. She squeezed her eyes shut trying to recall last night's events. She remembered going to the bar with House, eating and drinking and she even remembered walking into her apartment but that was it. Everything else was blank. She opened her eyes and saw House's tennis shoes lying beside her bathroom door. _Why are his shoes in my room?_ A knot was beginning to form in the pit of her stomach. She glanced over her shoulder at the other side of the bed and could tell someone had slept there. _Did I have sex with House?_ She wondered desperately as she closed her eyes and placed her hand over her mouth. _Please No. Not like this._ She said quietly under her breath. Her head was pounding and she was dizzy. Two signs of a hang over. She stood slowly, holding onto her nightstand until she regained her balance and stepped into her bathroom. She needed to confront House and find out what had happened.

She quietly closed the door. She didn't want him to know she was awake yet. She took a good look at herself in the mirror and cringed at the face staring back at her. Her hair was a tangled mess and she wasn't sure if it was makeup smeared under her eyes or dark circles. She washed her face, brushed her teeth and combed the knots out of her hair, pulling it back into a ponytail. She looked at herself again. She was pale but she looked better that what she did. She stepped back into her bedroom and threw on a pink tank top, a pair of pajama pants and her silky purple robe, leaving it opened in the front. She took a deep breath and headed towards the kitchen. Her head was still spinning. It took all her strength to not crumple to the floor but the thought of a cup of coffee kept her going. She rounded the corner of the kitchen to find House cooking eggs. She leaned against the wall and watched.

House knew she had walked in but didn't look at her. "Morning Sunshine. Want something to eat?"

Cameron cringed at the thought of food. "No but a cup of coffee would be nice." She said softly.

House placed his eggs onto a plate and grabbed a mug from the cabinet next to the stove and filled it with coffee.

It surprised Cameron that he had made himself so comfortable with her kitchen in such a short time.

He turned to hand Cameron the cup of coffee, looking at her for the first time. "You look like hell."

She rolled her eyes and took the cup from him. "Thanks."

They both sat down in the living room, House divulging in his food and Cameron sipping her coffee.

House was sitting on the cushy arm of the sofa while Cameron nestled down into the pillows. He didn't seem to notice that she was looking at him.

She noticed his bare feet first, thinking how she had never seen his bare feet before. She then glanced at her own bare feet and thought how weird this seemed, the two of them sitting in _her_ living room in their pajamas. She wondered if he was thinking the same thing. He had on a pair of blue and white stripped pajama pants and a white t-shirt. His hair was tussled slightly, giving him almost a boyish look and his unshaven face was more apparent that normal. She realized she had a small smile on her face and quickly discarded it before he noticed she was checking him out. She heard him say something, taking her away from her thoughts.

"Sure I can't fry you up some eggs? Toast?" He said with a mouth full of food.

"I'm sure. The coffee's good though." She answered, taking another sip. "All this time you have had me or someone else make coffee when you knew how to make it all along."

"Another one of my secrets." He said, taking his last bite. He sat the plate on the coffee table, wiped his mouth with a napkin and slid down on the sofa next to her.

Cameron gave him a side ways glance still wondering if they had slept together. She wasn't sure how to approach the subject other than to just ask. "I guess there is no way to ask this but to just to ask it. Did we…" She stopped and cleared her throat. "Did we…" Cameron couldn't spit out the words.

"Are you asking me if we did the mattress mambo?" He said with a cocky grin.

Cameron looked away from his mocking eyes. She waited for him to continue knowing he was taking his time in answering to torture her.

He leaned forward slightly knowing it was driving her crazy to wait for an answer. "Were you dressed when you woke up?"

"Barely." She answered.

"Two things you should never forget." He paused. "A - you wouldn't be dressed in anything and B - you wouldn't have to ask if we did."

Cameron let out a long sigh. "Unbelievable." She mumbled.

House heard her and smiled. He didn't have to look at her to know she had that defiant look on her face.

"So, I take it - that was a no. Then why was I in my underwear?"

"Because that's what you chose to wear when you tried to seduce me." He could hear the gears turning in her head.

Cameron snapped her head up. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't tell me you don't remember. You were great." Thoughts of how Cameron looked last night entered his head. She was more than just great but he wasn't going to let her know that. "You're performance was amazing."

"You're screwing with me because I can't remember anything."

"Nope. You waltzed right in here, dressed like a stripper and kissed me. It was quite a kiss, if you know what I mean."

Cameron tried again to remember what she had done last night. "Please tell me you are lying." She pleaded with him.

"Then I suppose you don't remember telling me you are still in love with me." He said, watching her out of the corner of his eye.

Cameron stopped breathing. _Did he just say what I think he said? _

House realized she was holding her breath. "You might want to breath Cameron."

Cameron looked up at him. "Did I really say that?"

"You did." He was enjoying the situation too much to let her off the hook.

Cameron dropped her head into her head. "Oh my God. I can't believe I said that to you." She looked up at him again. Remorse on her face. "I'm sorry. Why are you still here? After that comment, I would have guessed you would be several states away by now."

"Thought about it." He glanced at her. "But I figured I would stay and take advantage of the situation."

"But you said we didn't."

"We didn't. You passed out."

"But you slept in my bed."

"Because you asked me too. You were crying and being such a girl. You were pathetic." He said softly.

Cameron paused. "But you turned me down. Why?" She asked boldly.

"And be like Chase? Then I would be the pathetic one." He said truthfully.

She looked away from him. "Wow. That's definitely bringing up the past."

"Besides, the timing wasn't right." He added.

Cameron looked at him curiously. "I think you have made it perfectly clear many times that the timing would never be right."

House stared back at her but didn't say anything.

"I think I need to take a shower." She said, changing the subject.

"I wouldn't argue with that." He teased.

"Very funny."

As Cameron stood, a wave of dizziness over came her causing her to lose her balance. House quickly reached out and grabbed her arm to keep her from falling.

Cameron looked at his hand on her then down into his blue eyes. "Thank you. That's twice you've come to my rescue."

House noticed how pale she had become. "Maybe you should lie back down. A shower can wait."

Cameron suddenly realized how bad she was feeling. "I think maybe you're right." She slowly started walking towards her bedroom.

"Need some help?" He offered.

"No. I can do it. Thanks." She stopped and looked over her shoulder. "House."

"Yeah?"

"Thanks - for everything."

He gave her a nod and she continued down the hall.

He leaned back and thought about what she had said about the 'timing never being right.' How many times had he made her believe that he never wanted her; that every time she thought there was something between them, he would twist it around and make her think it was all in her head? She would be very amused if she ever found out how much she had turned him on last night. The thought of her in her lacy black underwear still aroused him. He sat up and shook his head of the thoughts. _Maybe I need a shower, a cold shower to get_ _my mind off of things,_ he thought. He took his plate to the kitchen and limped to the hall bathroom to wash away his thoughts and any lingering feelings.

************ **

It was almost four o'clock in the afternoon when Cameron finally woke up. She saw that it was still raining outside and the air was chilly. She loved days like this. She sat up to see if she felt any better and she did. Although she still had a headache, the dizziness was gone. She peeked into the living room to see what House was up to and found him asleep on the sofa. She stepped back into her bedroom and decided she would take her shower. As she was getting the water ready she heard a car alarm start going off. At first she didn't think anything about it but when the alarm didn't shut off, a weird feeling came over her. She looked out her window to see it was her jeep that the sound was coming from. The headlights were blinking rapidly and the sound was piercing the air. She quickly slipped on some shoes and hurrid into the living room. House was awake now and sitting up.

"What the hell is that noise?" He asked in a gruff voice.

"My car alarm." She answered as she was putting on her coat.

Realizing the god awful noise that woke him up from his nap was a car alarm, annoyed him even more. "Where are you going?"

"I have to turn it off." She said and opened the door.

"Wait. I'll go with you." He said and slipped on his shoes and followed her outside.

Cameron shut off the alarm with her key-less remote and silence filled the air once more.

As she approached her jeep she felt something was wrong, knowing the alarm wouldn't go off for no reason. When she walked around the driver's side, she gasped. House saw her expression and when he arrived by her side, he too was surprised at what he saw. They both stood there, getting wet from the rain.

Written in black spray paint, in large letters, was a message.

**"You Are Not His."**

Cameron was doing her best to not hyperventilate. "I can't believe this."

House glanced around cautiously. "We need to call the police Cameron. Let's go back inside." He said and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her away from the car.

While he called the police, Cameron paced back and forth trying to understand why someone would be doing this to her. House let her pace, knowing it wouldn't do any good to try and get her to sit down.

Suddenly she stopped. "I have to throw up." And she ran down the hall to the bathroom.

There was a knock on the door a few minutes later and House answered, letting the policeman in. By the time Cameron joined them, he had explained everything that had happened.

"We need to take your statement Doctor Cameron." The policeman said.

"Okay. I was supposed to go down to the station today and make a statement for what happened yesterday."

"Yes. Doctor House has explained that and who the detective is you are working with. I will take your statement for this incident and notify Detective Hodges because the two cases may be related. I will also let him know that you will be coming in on Monday to make the other statement."

"Thank you." She answered and proceeded with her statement.

House stood back without interrupting.

The last thing the policeman said to Cameron before leaving was for her to consider staying somewhere else for a couple of nights.

Cameron closed the front door and went to the window to stare out. "He knew you were here with me." She said softly. "He could be watching us now."

"He could be. We should stay a couple of nights at my place."

"What difference would that make? He can follow us there too." She said, mesmerized by the rain falling on the pavement.

"True but I have an unopened bottle of scotch that would help us get through the night."

She turned and smiled at him. "I haven't had my shower."

"I have running water."

Cameron nodded in agreement and went to gather a few things. She wasn't sure if she would be there just for the night or longer. So, she made sure she had work clothes for Monday morning, just in-case. She knew she should probably tell House to go home, that she would be alright but the truth was, she was scared and didn't want to be alone.

She met him in the living room with bag in hand. "I'm ready."

"I called a taxi. Should be here in a few."

They both sat in silence until the taxi pulled up to take them to their new destination.

**************

Down the street, Steven Mayer watched as the taxi pulled up to Allison's apartment. He had been watching when he witnessed House walking a swaggering Allison into her apartment. He had stayed all night, watching her windows, looking for some kind of indication that what he feared the most wasn't happening. However, the infamous doctor did not leave, leaving him no other choice but to let Allison know that he was not pleased with the situation.

Steven followed the taxi down the road, careful not to be noticed and watched as House and Allison both walked into the up-scaled condo. He waited until the lights went on inside before he headed back to his place to decide what his next move would be.


	46. I want you

**WARNING: Adult Content - May not be suitable for children under 18.**

****************

**Chapter 46**

House flipped on the lights and tossed his keys into the dish on the table, like he normally did. Cameron followed and closed the door behind her, glancing around the room. House could tell she felt awkward with her surroundings.

"You can put your bag in the bedroom, down the hall."

Cameron nodded and went to discard her bag.

"Are you hungry? You haven't eaten all day." He called out to her.

Cameron was walking back into the living room when she answered. "Yeah. I could eat something."

"How does pizza sound?"

"Good." She said and ran her finger over the top of his piano, noticing it's beauty. "Do you mind if I take a shower?"

"Hall bath. There's clean towels on the shelves."

"Okay."

"I'll order the pizza."

Cameron headed down the hall, looking forward to a hot shower.

House called his favorite pizza place and ordered a medium veggie pizza and a medium meat pizza. He limped to his bedroom and slipped into some clean lounge pants and a fresh t-shirt. He also grabbed a new bottle of vicodin out of his night stand and instantly popped one of the pills into his mouth and swallowed. He thought about the unopened bottle of scotch and decided it was time to break the seal. Having Cameron there rattled him and he knew the alcohol would help him to relax.

He poured a little of the scotch into his glass and swirled it around a few times, then downed it in one swallow, welcoming the burning feeling in his chest. He then filled the glass half way and went to sit at his piano. It had only been twenty four hours but he had missed running his fingers over the ivory keys. Playing his piano was the one thing that brought him peace. He lit the half smoked cigar still sitting in the ash tray and began to play.

Cameron welcomed the hot water as it fell over her tired body, washing away all the things she didn't want to think about. It had been a trying two days, not to mention having House by her side. She washed her hair and ran the soap over skin, feeling the water and soap doing their magic. She turned the knobs to the off position and grabbed one of the fluffy towels from the shelves. As she was drying off, an amusing thought occurred to her. The last place she ever thought she would be was here, standing naked in House's bathroom. The whole thing seemed so surreal. She just didn't need to put too much thought into House helping her and quickly pushed the thoughts out of her head. She slipped on a pair of blue pajamas and combed her wet hair, letting it fall down her back so it would dry. She opened the door and immediately heard the music from the piano drift down the hall. She suddenly realized that she had never heard him play before. The music drew her into the other room. She wasn't exactly sure what she was supposed to do, leaving her to walk around the room aimlessly. She looked at his books, his pictures, all the while watching him out of the corner of her eye. Finally, she made her way towards him, placing herself next to the piano. She listened intently as he continued to play, not seeming to notice she was there.

However, House was quite aware that Cameron was standing so close. Her presence was overpowering. He could smell her sweet scent the minute she walked into the room but he didn't want her to know that she was capable of seducing him without saying a word. After a few minutes, he stopped playing and looked up at her.

"Want a drink?" He asked her.

"Yes. A little one." She answered thinking how she didn't want to repeat last night.

"There's another glass on the counter in the kitchen."

Cameron walked across the hardwood floor in her bare feet to the kitchen and returned with the glass a few seconds later.

House poured a little of the amber liquid into the glass and watched her take a little sip, noticing that one of the spaghetti straps from her top had fallen slightly down her arm. He also noticed that her hair was wet, giving her an innocent look and that her skin was still flushed from the hot water. She was quite stunning, he thought.

"The music sounds nice." She said softly, interrupting his thoughts. "I've never heard you play before."

He pulled his eyes away from her and took another sip of his drink. He then patted the bench, inviting her to sit down beside him. The expression on Cameron's face showed that she was surprised at his gesture.

She slowly moved around the piano and sat down and watched as his long fingers began to dance around on the ivory keys, causing her heart to flutter. He smelled nice, she thought and it was all she could do to not lean into him.

House could feel the heat of her body next to his and the image of the night before entered his head when her head was laying on his chest. The smell of her lavender soap and vanilla shampoo filled the air and it was causing him to lose concentration.

Cameron didn't say anything, lost in the music as it engulfed the silence of the room. The thoughts of Christy and the maniac who was stalking her, were pushed into some dark place in her mind and all she could think about was this incredible man sitting next to her. She wanted to look at him but she was afraid he would read her mind and realize how vulnerable she was at that moment. Nevertheless, she carefully turned her head upward to look at his face.

House could feel her eyes upon him and he wasn't sure he wanted to look into those green eyes but he couldn't resist and looked down at her. Once he looked into the green pools, he couldn't look away.

Cameron was paralyzed, lost in the moment… lost in his steel blue eyes.

Slowly House lowered his head until his mouth was barely touching hers. He could feel her breath on his face. He was just about to close the remaining distance when the doorbell rang. _Damn_, he said under his breath and pulled away.

Cameron closed her eyes and slowed her breath. She took the opportunity and headed to the bedroom to compose herself. She was shaking but not from fear but from him, his touch, his nearness.

House paid the delivery guy and put the two pizzas on the kitchen counter. He had seen Cameron hurry to the bedroom and decided to follow.

Cameron didn't expect him to follow her and was surprised to see him standing in the door way.

"Pizza's here." He said in a low voice, not really caring that the pizza was there.

"Yeah. I just needed to grab some asprin." She lied, trying to control the shaking.

House started moving closer to her, not believing she was looking for asprin. She was hiding from him and it intrigued him that his presence could make her react that way. As if being drawn by an unknown force, he continued closing the distance between them, fully aware that he was about to do something he knew he shouldn't do.

Cameron watched helplessly as House moved closer to her, stopping only inches away.

"House." She said barely above a whisper. "W-what are you doing?"

She took a step backwards but he brought his hand up and placed it behind the lower part of her back, not allowing her to move away any further.

"Do I really need to explain this?" He said in a lusty tone.

Cameron shook her head no.

They were so close to one another, their lips almost touching, both feeling the heat swelling between them.

House gazed down into her dark green eyes. The desire he saw made his heart race. "Where were we?" He whispered as he cupped her chin. He slowly lowered his mouth onto hers and kissed her softly, brushing his tongue on the outer part of her lips.

Cameron swallowed hard as she felt his mouth touch hers. She felt captured, overwhelmed with desire.

House pulled back slightly and stared down at her again. She opened her eyes and stared at him intently.

"House." She whispered.

"Allison." He whispered back and ran his finger down her arm.

Cameron smiled when she heard him say her first name and placed her hand on the side of his face.

House leaned into the palm of her hand and began to kiss it.

Cameron closed her eyes, parting her lips slightly.

Both knew that if they continued from this point on, there would be no stopping and nothing would ever be the same between them again.

He leaned in and took her mouth more completely, pulling her closer to him, causing her to shiver as she felt the warmth of his mouth on hers. She could taste the scotch on his lips.

He lifted his mouth slightly and traveled down her neck, running his tongue over her delicate skin then back up, finding her lips again.

"I want you Allison." He whispered against her lips, his desire for her growing stronger.

"I want you too but are you sure?" Questions were screaming in Cameron's head.

"Shhh." He whispered, not letting her finish. Now was not the time to analyze or speculate. He pulled the strap of her top down and began to suck and kiss her shoulder.

As he continued to travel down her body, she felt him pull back a little as he reached the top of her breasts that weren't exposed yet. She was begging in her head for him to touch her, to kiss her everywhere. Everything in her wanted more of this man.

House only paused for a minute as he let her little thin top fall down, exposing the creamy flesh of her breasts. He gently cupped one with his hand and took the nipple between his fingers and teased it, hearing her moan slightly, letting him know she wanted more. He brought his mouth down on her hard nipple and began to tease it with his tongue, sucking it, tasting the sweetness of it. He felt her pull back slightly, causing him to stop and look up at her. She had a lusty look in her eyes and a mischievous smile on her face.

Locking her eyes with his, she slowly pulled her top over her head and removed her pajama pants, leaving only a blue thong.

House stepped back and took in every inch of her. She was more beautiful than he had imagined. He couldn't believe this was Cameron standing before him like this. He suddenly felt her hands on his shirt, tugging and pulling it over his head. She ran her long fingers over his chest and began to run kisses down his neck, encircling his nipples with her tongue. He let out a groan.

"I need to lie down." He said breathlessly as he took her mouth again. The pain in his leg was beginning to intensify but he wasn't about to stop and pop a little magic pill now.

Cameron placed her hand on his chest, stopping him and backed up to the bed to lie down first. She leaned back on her elbows and gave him a look that let him know it was his turn and she was growing impatient.

House matched her look and pulled down his pants, exposing himself completely, knowing this would be the first time Cameron would see his scar.

However, Cameron didn't notice the scar. She only saw the man before her and she was very pleased to see how much she excited him. She sat up and surprising even herself, she grabbed his cock firmly and squeezed gently, causing House to arch backwards slightly.

As if with an animal instinct, he pushed her back on the bed and crawled beside her, slipping off the skimpy thong. He relished in feeling her warm naked body next to his. Her skin felt like velvet, it was so soft. Part of him wanted to take her right now and have his release, knowing she would follow quickly behind him but the other part of him wanted to explore her, to taste every inch of her. He knew this might be the only time they would ever share this part of themselves with each other.

He slowly ran his finger down the length of her body, his eyes following, noticing how his touch made her tremble. He looked down into her eyes and saw a glimmer of something, something real and it caused a rush in him that he had never felt before. He not only needed her, he wanted her. He brought his mouth down on hers with such urgency, it shocked Cameron. He kissed her hard and deeply. His hands touching her all over, caressing every inch they touched. He began to move downwards, slowly, savoring every taste of her skin beneath his lips. He moved from one breast to the other taking his time, feeling her body respond to his touch. He ran his tongue down her taught stomach to her belly button, encircling it, teasing her, all the while she had her hands entangled in his hair. He ran his hands over her long slender legs and felt the softness of them against his fingers. As he made his way up the middle of her legs he could feel her tense. As his fingers arrived at her swollen clit, Cameron arched her back in response. He slowly lowered his mouth and began to taste her, his fingers moving inside her silky walls. He could feel her walls clenching and her body moving to the rhythm of his fingers and his tongue. He wanted nothing at that moment but to please her.

Cameron could feel his moist breath on her pubic area and the magic of his fingers as they entered her. She moaned. It was all she could do to not spill over in ecstasy. It was as if he had done this to her a hundred times before, he seemed to know her body so well. She pulled harder at his hair and arched her body more, letting him know that she wouldn't be able to last much longer.

House looked up into her pleading eyes and it was all he needed. He moved his body over hers and kissed her gently, then harder and in one swift movement, he entered her, the tightness and warmth of her surprising him. At first he moved slowly letting them both experience the pleasure of it all but he couldn't hold out much longer and he knew she was close also. He started moving faster, his thrusts becoming harder. He could feel her fingers digging into his skin, pulling him closer.

"Greg." She whispered.

"Allison. I..can't..wait..any..longer." He said between each thrust. "I need you."

At that moment, they both arched, letting their release tumble inside of each other, their bodies shaking from the pleasure.

"Oh god." The words escaped Cameron's lips as she held on tightly to him, not wanting to let go.

House gently lowered himself down on top of her, feeling her heart race with his, their breaths long and heavy. He wanted this feeling to last as long as possible.

Cameron could feel the emotion in her body and held back the tears that threatened to spill. She loved the feel of him inside of her and didn't want that to go away. She began to run her fingers through his hair, wanting so much to let him know how much she cared for him but she knew that if she did, it would be over. She needed to keep her emotions in tack or he would pull away and shut down and she couldn't handle that right now. She needed him, wanted him, even if it was for only this one moment in time. She felt his body began to relax with hers and she drifted off into a light slumber.

House could tell that Cameron had fallen asleep. He carefully lifted himself and laid next to her. He too, fell into a light sleep.

A short time later, House opened his eyes and looked to see that Cameron was still sleeping.

As if knowing he was watching her, Cameron opened her eyes and saw his intense blue eyes staring at her. She smiled and touched his face.

House was at loss for words at the moment. She was so beautiful lying next to him, looking at him that way. He kissed her hand sweetly then he heard her stomach growl causing them both to laugh, letting the heaviness of the moment disappear.

He sat up and felt the pain in his leg.

Cameron saw him grimace. "Where are your pills?" She asked, already getting out of bed to find them.

"On the piano."

Cameron didn't bother covering up and went into the other room to get his pills.

As she returned, she saw the look House was giving her as she walked around naked.

She handed him the bottle. "What? It's too late for me to be shy, don't you think?"

He popped two pills in his mouth and stood to put his pants on. "C'mon. Let's feed you." He paused. "However, you might want to put something on or you may never get to eat."

Cameron giggled and slipped her pajamas on and followed him into the kitchen.

House pulled two plates down and sat them on the counter. While Cameron was finding something to drink, other than scotch, House slipped into the living room.

"How many pieces do you want?" She asked.

"I'll start with four."

Cameron placed four slices on his plate and two pieces of the veggie pizza on her plate. She then stuck two bottle of beer under her arm and picked up the two plates and walked into the living room. She instantly stopped when she saw the scene before her. On the floor in front of a lit fire, was a blanket and a very handsome House waiting for her.

He saw the look of shock oh her face. "If you get all mushy on me, this will be over. Now bring me food and drink."

She laughed a little, knowing not to make too much of the situation but her heart melted when she saw what he had done.

He took the plates from her and she sat down and opened the bottles of beer, handing one to him. She looked down at her pizza. "This looks yummy." She said and took a big bite. "Mmm."

House didn't waste any time taking a bite of his food. He was starving.

After both had finished with their pizza and beer, they laid back in silence and watched the flames of the fire dance around. The rain and the thunder outside only completed the scene inside.

They turned their heads and looked at one another in unison, both knowing what the other one was thinking. There was so much emotion hanging in the air, one could cut it with a knife but neither wanted to ruin this moment between them. Their love making had been perfect, unplanned, full of warmth, lust and need. They had given each other something that no one else in their lives had ever been able to do but both were afraid to confront it. In their own ways, they were damaged and thought they were incapable of loving or being loved… but they both knew they felt love tonight. It will be left unsaid of course because to say it would make it real and they were unsure if they could let themselves accept it.

Cameron pulled her eyes away from his and laid down next to him, feeling his heart beating next to her. She knew this moment would not last forever but it was a moment that would stay with her always.

House felt her body mold to his like it belonged there. He didn't know he could feel this way for someone without ever saying a word.

They closed their eyes and let the rain and thunder take them away, letting the rest of the world disappear.

Somewhere in the night, they both awoke and found each other again, tasting and exploring one another until they were exhausted. Afterwards, they held each other tightly, knowing the world between them would forever be changed.


	47. The morning after

****************

**Chapter 47**

House stared out his dining room window and watched as the morning light was slowly taking over the darkness. In the distance, dark clouds were beginning to role in, promising another day of rain. He hadn't wanted to get up so early but the pain in his leg had been relentless, forcing him to move around and try to ease the discomfort.

He looked over his shoulder at a sleeping Cameron who was still curled up in front of the fireplace. Memories of their lovemaking were still fresh in his head, her touch still lingered on his skin. He closed his eyes and felt his heart race as he thought about how incredible it had been. She had touched a part of him that no one had ever touched before and it frightened him. He couldn't deny the peace he had felt with her and just thinking about it caused an unbelievable rush.

He took a sip of his coffee, his soul heavy with thoughts and feelings. He knew he couldn't let whatever was developing between them, continue. He didn't want to feel anything for her and he definitely didn't want her to feel anything for him. If this were to go on, it would only result in him breaking her heart… again and that to him, was worse than being alone. At least if he stopped it now, she wouldn't have too much invested.

Coming to a decision of what he had to do, only darkened his mood more. As much as he hated to do this to her, he was also satisfied in proving once again that he was nothing more than a cold, heartless bastard.

**************

Cameron opened her eyes and at first was a little disoriented. It didn't take long however, for her to remember where she was and what had happened between her and House. Her heart fluttered and her breath quickened as she thought about how he had touched her, bringing her to heights she had never been before.

She felt the coldness surrounding her and immediately knew he wasn't beside her any more. She lifted up slightly and scanned the room. She found him sitting in the dining room with his feet propped up, staring out the window. She could tell he was deep in thought and shuddered at what his thoughts might be of.

She stood and wrapped the blanket around her still naked body and quietly slipped into the kitchen for a cup of coffee. She needed morning ammo inside of her if she was going to confront the force in the other room.

House heard her stir but didn't bother to turn around. He knew she would make her way to him soon enough and he would have to crush her even though he had told her he never would.

Cameron hesitantly walked towards him, preparing herself for the worst but hoping for the best. She walked around the table so she could approach him from the front. The minute she saw his face, she knew it was probably not going to be a good morning. She had seen that face of his many times and it had never meant good news. However, she was still optimistic.

"Hey." She said softly noticing he didn't look at her. She stopped a few feet away, the blanket secured around her and stared out the window. "Looks like it's going to rain again." She said, trying to start some kind of conversation. She sat down in the chair to the side of him, across the table.

House glanced at her. "I see you found the coffee."

"I did. It's good."

He had his hand resting on the table and she boldly reached out and touched it with her fingers, surprised he didn't pull away and she relaxed a little.

House looked at her delicate fingers as she ran them across his hand, hating himself for enjoying her touch.

They sat in silence for what seemed an eternity before Cameron finally spoke. "Want to do anything today?" She asked, giving him the opportunity to let her know what he was thinking.

House swallowed hard and spoke without any emotion. "Not really."

Cameron continued. "We could start with breakfast."

"I don't have anything here to eat."

Cameron noticed he was giving her short answers avoiding any conversation with her.

"We could go out. I'll buy." She let out a little laugh.

"Looks like it could rain soon. Probably wouldn't be wise to take the bike out and I don't really feel like waiting for a taxi. Besides, I'm not really hungry."

"Oh." She said and looked back out the window. Her heart sunk but she didn't want him to see the disappointment in her eyes.

House looked at the side of her face and could see the emotion she was holding back and almost caved. All he wanted to do at that moment was take her into his arms and hold her, make love to her again but he couldn't and wouldn't let himself do that to her.

Cameron could feel the burning sensation as it swelled in her chest. She had so many emotions going through her at the moment. She knew she needed to keep them in tact and not let him break her. She knew there was the possibility he would push her away after last night but she wasn't going to let him take what had happened between them and throw it completely away. Somehow, she managed the courage to broach the subject.

"Do you want to talk about last night?" She asked, facing him again.

House looked deeply into her eyes. "If that's what you want." He said and got up to retrieve another cup of coffee.

She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. "Any thoughts about last night?" She asked not daring to ask if he was happy.

He limped back towards her and sat back down in the chair and stared at her again. "Not really. I always enjoy a good fuck." He threw out coldly.

Cameron instantly tensed but controlled the screaming voice in her head. "Well, at least you thought it was good." She managed to say with some amusement in her voice and took a sip of her coffee.

House arched his eyebrow at her comment and gave her a smirk. He had to give it to her. She was trying to play his game but he had no doubt she would lose.

"So, what now? You obviously are having some reservations about last night." She continued with courage.

"And why would you say that?"

"Because of how you are acting."

"And how am I acting?" He asked dancing around the issue, taunting her.

"I don't want to play games House."

"But games are so fun." He said in a mocking tone.

She sighed heavily. "Did you think I was going to expect romance and I love you's after last night?" She said trying to sound as if last night was no big deal.

"That's what you girls do, especially you."

Cameron narrowed her eyes at him. "That's not fair. Why are you doing this?" She asked calmly. She didn't want him to know this conversation was killing her.

Here it comes, he thought. This was what he wanted. He wanted her to try and analyze him so he could end this _thing_ between them.

"Why am I doing what? This is me or don't you remember who I am? I don't feel anything for anyone."

"You felt something last night." She said softly, running her finger in a circle on his table.

House paused. "Lust. I always wondered what it would be like to fuck you."

Cameron knew he was purposely being cruel with his words so he could shut her down but she wasn't ready to throw in the towel yet.

She gave him a hard stare. "Well, now you know."

Silence hung heavy between them for a few minutes neither one taking their eyes off of each other.

"I don't expect you tell me you care about me. So, you can cut the bastard act."

"It's not an act."

"Can't you just admit you enjoyed last night?"

"And give you the satisfaction? I don't think so." He paused. "I thought you already learned your lesson from that school girl crush you had on me."

"I don't have a crush on you any more."

"No. You love me." He said bluntly.

Cameron took a sip of her now cold coffee and wrinkled her nose in disgust at the taste. "I'm not in love with you." She said flatly.

"That's good because you were just the fuck of the week. I slept with Cuddy last week. Who knows who'll be next. I'll probably go back to hookers since there is definitely no ties with them." House said with cruelty.

Cameron froze. "You slept with Lisa?"

House could hear the hurt in her voice and almost regretted telling her.

"I thought she and Wilson were seeing each other?"

"That's before I bopped her."

"You purposely hurt Wilson?"

"That surprises you?"

"I don't believe you would hurt Wilson like that. "

"Goes to show, you don't know me as well as you think you do."

Cameron could feel the walls closing in on her. She knew he could be cruel but she hadn't expected this. She sat in the chair, feeling the weight of his stare on her. She knew he was waiting for her to break down in tears and start screaming at him but she wasn't going to give him the satisfaction. Somewhere inside, she mustered up enough courage to speak to him again.

"Let's just drop this. I get your point." She paused before continuing. "I think it's best if I go home. It's apparent me being here isn't working."

House shrugged his shoulders. "If that's what you want. What about scary man out there?" He asked, trying not to show he was concerned.

"I can't have someone watching me all the time." She answered. She was scared to be alone but being with House right now, scared her more. "I'll get my things ready and call a cab." She quickly went to the bedroom to gather her things.

House hadn't expected her to just leave but it was probably for the best, he decided.

Cameron did her best to hold back the mountain of emotions building inside of her as she gathered the few things she had brought with her. She glanced at the bed and thought about the two people who, just a short time ago, had laid there and made love to one another and wondered where those two people went because it was evident they weren't here now.

She hurriedly zipped her bag and picked up her cell phone to call for a cab, twenty minute wait she was told. _Please hurry_, She whispered into the phone. She dressed and pulled her hair back and stared at the fool in the mirror, staring back at her. She walked back into the living room and found House sitting at his piano but he wasn't playing. He was just sitting on the bench, staring at the keys.

She sat her bag down and stared at him. "Do I still have a job?" She asked.

He was surprised at her question. "Do you think that just because we fucked, you would be out of a job?"

Cameron shrugged her shoulders.

"If anything, I would say your job is more secure." He said sarcastically.

Cameron glanced away. She hated him at that moment. "Fine. I will see you tomorrow then." She said and walked out the door to wait for the cab. She no longer could breath the same air he was breathing and had to get out of that room. She didn't care that some monster was watching her, trying to scare her. All she wanted at that moment was to go home and think about how she was going to find the will to continue working for House and accept the fact that she was very much in love with a man who had no intention of ever loving her back.


	48. House admits to Cameron he cares

****************

**Chapter 48**

House rolled over and looked at the red numbers glowing from his clock, screaming six a.m. at him. He hadn't really slept at all, which served him right, he thought. He should have never let Cameron leave like that, which is why he felt the need to sit across the street from her apartment for three hours last night, on his bike, in the rain, to make sure nothing looked suspicious. Of course, if he had any balls at all, he would have knocked on her door and insisted that he stay the night but the courage had eluded him.

He sighed angrily and climbed out of his warm bed and headed for the shower. Afterwards, he stared at himself for a long time in the bathroom mirror. His soul was heavier than normal and he knew why. He was struggling with his feelings for Cameron. He wanted to protect her but at a distance and he knew it was too late for that. He had already crossed the line of no return. He had pushed her away and she went without a fight, leaving him to want her more. He knew if anything happened to her because of him, he would never be able to live with the consequences. When did he change or had he? He wondered. He liked being miserable - he liked the fact he could make other people miserable and it not even bother him… but this time was different. There was no way he was in love with her, he concluded. He was incapable of loving anyone. It had to be something else… but what?

He reached for the orange vile and popped the last two white pills and swallowed. He knew he had to face her and settle the issue between them. He dressed and headed into the hospital, hoping he would get there before she did.

**************

Cameron arrived at the hospital a little later than usual. She had waited until her jeep had been towed away to the garage before she left for the hospital. She was tired, not getting much sleep. Every little noise woke her up. A couple of times she had thought she heard House's bike roaring by but she knew he was probably curled up with a bottle of scotch and doing his best to not think of her. However, she had hoped he would have called to check on her but that didn't happen either.

She walked into the office to find Kutner sitting at the table flipping through a magazine.

He glanced up. "Morning Cameron."

"Morning Kutner." She answered with a forced smile as she sat her things down. She immediately stepped over to the counter to make coffee but was surprised to find the coffee was already made.

"You made coffee. Thanks." She said, immediately giving him the credit.

"Don't thank me. I didn't make it."

"Then who did?"

"House. He was here when I got here. I haven't seen him though. His door has been shut the whole time. My guess is he's probably not in the best of moods."

"Great." Cameron mumbled under her breath and poured a cup of coffee.

"How was your weekend?" Kutner asked.

Cameron heard him say something but wasn't really paying attention to what he was saying. "Hmm. What did you say?" She asked, her eyes still focused on the closed door leading to House's office.

"I asked how your weekend was." He asked again, looking over his shoulder at her.

She looked at him. "Umm. It was a weekend. Not much to tell." She lied. "How about yours?" She asked and sat down next to him, trying not to think about House.

"Not much. Went on a date."

"Well, that's something. With someone from the hospital?"

"Maybe." He answered with a goofy grin.

Cameron saw his expression and had to smile. "Who?"

"Sarah in Pediatrics. Do you know her?"

"Not really but I know who she is. She's pretty. Did you have a nice time?"

"I guess so. We are going out again this weekend."

Cameron was trying to focus on their conversation but her mind kept wondering back to why House had come in early and how she was going to respond if he didn't say a word to her. She was trying to prepare herself mentally for worse case scenario, since with House, it was usually worse case scenario.

Kutner, however didn't seem to notice she wasn't listening and continued to chat away about his date when Taub and Remy showed up. Foreman was giving a lecture at the college and would be out for the day. She heard Taub ask a question that caught her attention.

"Did everyone hear about what happened to Cuddy's assistant?"

"Yes! Isn't it horrible?" Remy joined in.

"What happened?" Kutner asked. He had left early on Friday and hadn't caught up on any hospital gossip.

"She was murdered. It was on the news." Remy said, assuming he would have heard about it on the news.

"I was busy all weekend and I don't usually watch much news. How did it happen?" Kutner asked.

"I don't know. The police aren't saying much right now. They are talking to a lot of people here at the hospital though. It's scary." Remy said.

Cameron sat back quietly and listened to the conversation swirl around her. Some of what they said was accurate, a lot of it was speculation. She wasn't about to correct them, since none of them knew her involvement. She wondered what they would think if she told them Christy had been murdered because of her.

"Cuddy said the funeral is tomorrow." Taub said.

"Are any of you going?" Kutner asked.

"I think we should all go." Remy said.

"Why? I didn't know her." Taub said.

"Maybe not but we were her co-workers and it would be nice to pay our respect to her and her family." Remy added.

"I agree." Cameron said softly.

House walked in right at that time. "What are we agreeing to?" His sudden presence surprising all them.

"Going to Cuddy's assistant's funeral tomorrow." Kutner answered.

House quickly threw Cameron a look. "Her name was Christy and we are expected to attend."

"So, you're going?" Taub asked surprised.

House heard the surprised tone in Taub's voice. "Even I can be human sometimes, Dr. Taub."

"Cuddy said something to you." Kutner guessed.

"Our hospital administrator can be a real pain in the ass and I have been informed that unless we have a patient to save, we are expected to be there."

"Why us?" Taub asked curiously.

"Because we are the easiest to manipulate and she wants as many people there to represent the hospital as possible." House answered.

"I don't think that's too much to ask, do you? The girl is dead." Cameron said abruptly.

They all stared at her.

House broke the awkward silence. "Since we don't have anyone to save, the three of you head to the clinic for the day. Cameron I need to see you."

Cameron sighed heavily, causing the other three to look at her again. She just gave them a brief smile and headed into House's office. She casually stood in front of his desk, waiting for him to say what he needed to say.

House puckered up his mouth in thought. "You okay with going to the funeral?"

"Afraid I might freak out and make a scene?" She said coldly.

"That would be great. Definitely make the event more fun." He quickly shot back.

Cameron crossed her arms in front of her and rolled her eyes. She did not want to have this conversation with him.

House stared at her and noticed how tired she looked, which caused a stabbing pain in his chest. He leaned forward and spoke in a serious voice. "Are you okay? I mean with scary guy?" He quickly added, although he was really wanting to know if she was okay because of him.

"Yes. No problems so far." She said, not elaborating any further.

"And your jeep?"

"I had it towed this morning to be repaired. I should get it back by the end of the week." She answered in a short tone.

He noticed she was wearing a pair of dark blue slacks that fit her nicely and a silky light pink blouse. Her hair was down, falling across her shoulders, the way he liked it. "You look nice." He said sincerely.

The comment pissed Cameron off. "Don't do that." She said sternly.

"Do what?"

"Acting nice and paying me compliments like nothing ever happened between us. You don't get off the hook that easily." She warned.

House gave her a smirk. "I'm not trying to get off the hook."

Cameron closed her eyes and sighed. "Why did you do what you did yesterday?"

House looked away from her for a second. "What I did, was keep you from going through misery you don't deserve." He said in a serious tone.

"House, I'm an adult. I'm quite capable of making my own decisions and dealing with the consequences my choices may have. I don't need you or any one else protecting me." She said, stepping closer to his desk. "I'm not expecting anything from you." She said in a quite voice.

"Not now but later…"

Before he could finish Cameron threw her hands into the air.

"Just answer one question."

"What?" He asked, not sure he wanted to hear her question.

"Did you feel anything?"

House glanced away for a second time. It was a question he didn't want to answer. He looked back at her green eyes, full of emotion.

There was a long pause.

"I'm not leaving this room without an answer." She said barely above a whisper.

"I don't want to give you false hope."

"I don't want hope. I want to know I'm not crazy."

"I don't want to feel anything for anyone… but the other night caught me off guard. I didn't expect… I didn't expect to feel anything for you."

"So, you did… feel something. I wasn't imagining it."

House looked into her pleading eyes. "No. It wasn't your imagination but Cameron…"

"I know House. I know it stops here. What happened, happened. I can accept that and deal with it. What I can't deal with is you making me believe that there was nothing between us and it was all in my head."

They stared at one another intently, both feeling emotions they dared not put into words, or perhaps, didn't know how to put into words.

"I am going to start going through the files you have stored on the second floor. There is an inspection next week and you need to have those files logged in properly. That's where I will be if you need me." She said softly.

House only nodded.

Cameron turned to leave and almost ran into Wilson as he was walking through the door.

"Hey Cameron." Wilson said with a smile but quickly noticed the look on her face and dropped the smile.

He turned his attention to House. "Did I interrupt something?"

"Cameron and I were just having an adult conversation. Something, you know, I'm not used to or very good at." He answered sarcastically and sat down at his desk.

"Is she okay?"

"I'm sure she would tell you she is."

"But?" Wilson pushed.

House stared at the screen of his computer. "I'm not so sure she is."

**************

Cameron was busy going through the stacks of files that were shoved in boxes, hoping to release some of the frustration she was feeling inside. Her mind was still reeling from the conversation she and House had earlier. His concern for her had seemed genuine, surprising her. She also hadn't expected him to be honest and admit that he had felt something from their love making but what good did that do her if he was never planning to act on it? She thought, her anxiety level rising again. _Why do I care anyway? _She scolded herself. _I knew he would push me away and I did it anyway. I am the fool. I put my heart out there and let him run over it. I know he is incapable of loving anyone. _

She sat down, her emotions getting the best of her. The thing was, she did believe he was capable of loving someone. She had always believed that and she also knew, if she was planning on working by his side again, day after day, she had to get her emotions in order and accept the fact that he would never feel for her the way she feels for him, just as Chase had said. She also had to come to the conclusion that there was the possibility he could fall in love with someone else. _Hadn't he said he slept with Cuddy just last week? Did he tell her he felt something with her too? _She wondered. She was becoming angry again. The thought of him sleeping with Cuddy only days before he slept with her, angered her. _He and Cuddy have a history together. What if he decides he wants to be with her? _Cameron covered her face with her hands and let out a growl in frustration. _Damn it! Damn him for all these questions! _She said out loud.

"Dr. Cameron?"

Cameron heard a mans voice and spun around to find Steven Mayer, the hospital guard, standing in the doorway.

"Steven! You scared me." She said excitedly.

"I'm sorry. I saw the door open and thought I better see who was in here." He stepped into the small room and saw the look on her face. "Are you okay?"

Cameron let out a little laugh. "Yes. You just startled me."

Steven smiled, thinking how beautiful she was. "What are you doing in here?" He looked at the files stacked throughout the room.

"I'm trying to organize files before the inspection next week and it's a mess." She answered as she struggled with a heavy box.

"Let me help you with that." He said and moved in front of her, sitting the box on the floor. "You shouldn't be moving these boxes by yourself. They are too heavy."

"I'm okay. Thanks for your help."

Steven watched as Allison continued to go through the boxes. One more week and his sister would be gone and he could move forward and fulfill his dream. He was so excited he almost couldn't contain himself.

Cameron saw that he was watching her with almost a creepy stare. "Is there something else?" She asked.

"Are you dating Dr. House." He boldly asked.

Cameron was completely caught off guard by his question. "Why would you ask me that?"

"It's just an observation. I've seen the two of you together and I just thought you were seeing one another."

Cameron narrowed her eyes at him. "We are just friends."

Steven knew she wasn't completely telling the truth but he understood why she was being so secretive. Why would she want anyone to know that she was being taking advantage by the bastard doctor again. It was okay, however. It wouldn't be long before he would make her realize that her place was with him and she would soon forget Dr. Asshole.

Cameron saw that Steven's eyes appeared glazed over. "Steven?"

"Oh. Sorry. Just lost in thought. How about a cup of coffee?"

"Sure but not today. Maybe later in the week." She said hesitantly, wondering if she should have said yes.

"Great. I'll check with you later in the week. Well, I'll let you get back to work. I need to finish my rounds. Have a good day Allison."

"Bye Steven." She said and watched him leave. She thought a minute about his question. The whole thing had spooked her but figured it was because of everything that was going on. She knew Steven was harmless and soon forgot their conversation.

**************

Steven stepped into the small janitors closet and masturbated, his mind full of thoughts of Allison and how wonderful it was going to be when she was all his.


	49. Lost in thought

****************

**Chapter 49**

Cameron sat in the hospital cafeteria, lost in thought while drinking a cup of coffee. It had been one week since Christy's funeral and almost two weeks since she had been murdered and the police still didn't have any clues to who killed her, which left Cameron in the dark to who was stalking her. However, things had been quiet the past week, giving her a false sense of hope that whoever was doing this had given up but Detective Hodges had warned her that it wasn't unusual for stalkers to take a break from stalking their victims, usually before their obsession escalated. Even though the threat was real, Cameron wouldn't allow the situation to control her and instead, chose to believe that the stalker would be caught before anything happened to her or anyone else.

She took a sip of her luke-warm coffee, letting her thoughts drift to House. He had barely spoken a word to her since the weekend they had spent together. After he made it clear to her that he didn't want things to go any further between them, she had managed to avoid him unless it had been absolutely necessary to communicate with him. The last thing she wanted was for him to know how much his decision was killing her. Her head told her to stay away, to not get involved. He was not worth the turmoil he was causing inside of her but her heart saw things differently, it always did. She couldn't get him out of her head, out of her soul and she despised herself for it. Somehow, he had consumed her completely even though she swore she would never do this again. She couldn't deny that she wanted him, every part of him, the good and the bad and she desperately wanted to feel his touch again, his lips on hers, his breath against her face…

She closed her eyes and silently scolded herself for letting her mind wonder. She had been so lost in thought, she didn't notice that Wilson had been standing next to her for almost a minute before he finally touched her on the shoulder, causing her to jump slightly. When she saw it was Wilson, she smiled.

"Hi James." She said, turning in her seat to face him.

"Mind if I join you?" He was holding a bowl of pudding.

"Sure."

"Are you okay? You were really zoning there."

"I'm just tired."

"Want to come over for dinner tonight?" He asked as he sat down and took a bite of his pudding.

"You have fed me the last four nights."

"I don't mind. It's been fun. Besides, I love driving House crazy." Wilson chuckled.

"I'm sure the only thing that is driving House crazy is the fact he hasn't been able to have you all to himself. He hasn't even asked me if I'm okay. It's like I'm invisible to him."

"He knows you're okay because you have been with me and he knows I would tell him if anything happened."

"I don't know why I care anyway. I'm just stupid for thinking he could possibly…" Cameron's voice trailed off as if her words didn't matter.

Wilson stared at her for a long minute. "I don't know what happened between the two of you when you were together but you're not stupid. House is very aware of your presence. I'm his best friend and I know when something is eating away at him. He cares for you Allison, more than he wants you or anyone else to believe."

"I told myself that when I took this job, I wouldn't let myself fall for him again. Why does he have this affect on me?" She said desperately.

"I maintain my original theory."

Cameron raised her eyebrow. "And what is your theory?"

"You're in love with him." Wilson said seriously.

Cameron glanced around to make sure no one was in ear shot of their conversation. "I'm not in love with House." She said in a low voice, knowing she was trying to convince herself of that more than she was Wilson.

"And this is where the conversation always stops." He gave her a warm smile. "Come over for dinner. Stay the night. We can watch romantic movies together."

Cameron reached out and touched Wilson's hand. "As enticing as that sounds, I'm going to decline. I'm really tired."

"Fine. Break my heart." He said sticking his bottom lip out in a pout.

Cameron laughed. "Why don't you ask Lisa?"

"Hmm. I'm not ready to go there again. I'm still licking my wounds."

Cameron nodded. "I understand but she is a fool."

Wilson became serious. "Are you sure you'll be okay alone tonight."

"I'll be alright. The police are still driving by my place several times a night."

"Well, I'm going to call you throughout the night."

"What did I do to deserve you?" She said with a smile, thanking him for making her feel better.

**************

House sat at his desk, brooding. His mood had been so bad the last couple of days, his entire team cringed when they had to talk to him. They all suspected it had something to do with Cameron but they didn't dare question him about it. They had managed to find themselves useful in different parts of the hospital and House could care less where they were or what they were doing. As for Wilson, House hated him at the moment. He hated that his best friend had taken it upon himself to butt in and help Cameron. He had driven by Cameron's apartment every night the past several days and if she wasn't at her place, she was at Wilson's. When he tried to coax Wilson in to telling him what they had been doing, Wilson blew him off, telling him he should be the one taking care of her and not him.

House angrily pulled out his bottom drawer and removed the bottle of scotch and poured a drink. He was placing the bottle back in the drawer when he saw the note Cameron had left him after she told Cuddy she was accepting his offer. He picked it up and read the words she so carefully wrote. He let out a mournful groan and wadded the paper up, tossing it into his trashcan. Hard to believe she had only written that note a month ago and now they weren't even speaking to one another.

Just then, the door opened and the source of his misery walked in. Standing in front of him was the blonde vixen who had been invading his every thought.

He didn't even give her time to speak. "What?!" He snapped.

House's tone startled Cameron. She saw the bottle of scotch on his desk and hesitated before answering. "I- I need to grab the box of files I put behind your desk the other day."

House saw that he had made her jump and softened his tone. "I moved it to the other side of the filing cabinet. I thought you were through working on the files?" He asked, not really caring if she answered him or not.

"I have a few more to go. Everything was such a mess. It's taking me longer than I thought." She said as she walked past his desk to get the box.

As she passed by, her perfume filled the air around him, reminding him of a spring day and rain showers all rolled up together. It was calming and intoxicating at the same time. He let out a loud sigh that caused her to look at him.

"I'm hurrying." She said, taking his sigh as a signal that he wanted her to hurry.

"No need. The view is good from here."

Cameron stood up and shot him a glance. "Don't do that."

"What? Admire your ass and the soft curves of your hips?" He said in a condescending tone.

Cameron turned to face him, crossing her arms in front of her. She didn't appreciate his tone. "Don't play games."

"I'm not playing games. I'm merely making an observation."

Cameron let out a sigh this time and gave up trying to make him understand that his mixed signals were driving her crazy. She proceeded to pick up the box and just as she turned to leave, House stood and blocked her way.

They stared intently at one another for a few seconds before he spoke.

"You have been avoiding me." He stated.

"I thought that's what you wanted." She said in a cool tone.

House paused. "Are you okay?" He asked with sincerity.

Cameron cocked her head to the side and thought for a moment how to answer the question. She didn't bother to hide her agitation. "Yes. No thanks to you." She said bitterly and tried to push past him. "Let me by."

Her tone angered him and he instantly changed his tone. "You and Wilson been having fun?" He asked in a mocking tone.

Cameron closed her eyes. "Unbelievable." She said through gritted teeth. "One minute you are Dr. Jeykle and the next you are Mr. Asshole. Why do you do this? Ruin every minute we have together? You don't get to wonder or know what has been going on between me and Wilson. You lost that right when you let me walk out of your apartment a week ago." Cameron could instantly see House's mood change. She knew she had hit a chord. "Can I leave now?"

Not having the energy to continue the discussion, House moved to the side and let her pass.

As Cameron opened the door to leave, she glanced over her shoulder to see that he still had his back to her.

It wasn't until she was out the door that House whispered _I'm sorry_. He turned to sit down again when he saw the wadded piece of paper he so callously tossed in his trashcan. He retrieved the note and began to smooth out the wrinkles. He then folded it and placed it in his shirt pocket, wondering why he even cared about a silly little note. He quickly downed the scotch in his glass. Disgusted with himself and the situation, he paged Foreman and told him he was leaving for the day. He needed to get drunk and hopefully rid himself of Cameron, who insisted on filling his every thought.

*************

Later that evening…

Across the city, in a small restaurant, Steven Mayer sat with his sister, sharing a drink to celebrate the new job she had accepted. It was located in Chicago and she and his niece would be leaving by Friday so she would have time to get their life in order before she started work.

Yes, he had a big smile on his face, pretending it was all for his sister's good fortune when really, the joy he felt inside was for himself. He would now be able to proceed with his plans and complete the necessary details that would allow him to finally be with Allison.


	50. The office

****************

**Chapter 50**

It was finally Friday and the team had been working their newest case; a young female, age twenty-two, that had suddenly went deaf and now was experiencing numbness in her legs. For the past two days, they had ran through all the symptoms and clues to what may be causing her illness but still had no answers. They were continuing to run tests, hoping to find the missing link that would give them the answer.

House was staring at the white board full of possibilities when Cameron and Thirteen walked in. They were discussing the case and sat down to wait for Foreman and Taub.

House glanced at them. "Is there a reason why the two of you are in here and not with our patient?" He asked coldly.

"We are waiting for everyone else so we can go over things again." Thirteen answered as she gave Cameron a curious look.

House turned his attention back to the board. Having Cameron in the room, was agitating him.

A few minutes later, Foreman, Taub and Kutner joined them. House listened as Cameron dominated the conversation, making suggestions to what their next move should be. He turned and gave her a hard stare. His actions were so noticeable, everyone silently turned their attention to him and waited for him to speak.

"I hired you to make _them_ think. All I hear is you doing the thinking. It would be amazing if you did your job." House said directly to Cameron.

"That's why we are here, to discuss everything. I'm just merely starting the discussion." Cameron answered, trying to ignore his attitude towards her.

"No. What you're doing, is their job. Remind me again, why I hired you? Because it's apparent you are useless."

His words stung and Cameron could feel the weight of her colleagues eyes upon her but she refused to let them or House know he had unnerved her.

Here." House tossed her the black marker. "Why don't you do your job and make them do theirs." He said abrasively and abruptly limped out of the room.

Silence hung in the room for a few minutes.

"What was that about?" Thirteen asked, looking at Cameron.

"It's House, so who knows. He's always caring a chip on his shoulder." Foreman answered trying to take some of the pressure off of Cameron.

"It was not directed at any of you. He's upset with me." Cameron said.

"Maybe you shouldn't have taken the job." Taub said smugly.

"Taub." Thirteen said in a warning tone.

"That's harsh." Kutner added.

"What?" He asked as they stared at him. "It's clear she's only here because they have a thing for each other. You even said so." Taub stated, looking at Thirteen..

Thirteen shot daggers at Taub who sat across from her with an enjoyable smirk on his face.

Cameron looked at Taub. "It's apparent who the small minded person is in the room." She said and left to find House.

"You're an ass Taub." Foreman said.

"Why did you say that?" Thirteen asked.

"Because she doesn't belong with us and we both know the only reason she's here is so he can get into her pants. I thought you didn't want her here?"

"I didn't at first but she's okay. She really knows what she's doing. Next time, don't speak for me." Thirteen said.

"Look. I have known Cameron for a long time and she's not here just to fulfill House's fantasy. She doesn't operate that way. I also know House, and if he just wanted to get into her pants, he would have done that while she was in the ER." Foreman said.

"So, what are you saying? That he really cares about her? House doesn't care about any one." Taub said.

"I'm just saying it's not fair to judge what's going on when you don't know the whole story. Now, can we get back to work and focus on our patient?" Foreman said and opened up the file and began to read out loud the list of symptoms. However, he couldn't help wonder what was up with Cameron and House.

**************

Cameron took the stairs and headed to the roof. She knew exactly where House had gone. She angrily swung open the heavy metal door and looked around until she found him on the side, leaning against the stone railing. She hastily walked up next to him.

"What the hell was that all about?" She spat.

House didn't look at her. "Why must everything be about you?"

"If I'm not mistaken, that conversation back there was about you. What do you want from me?" She asked in a desperate tone.

"I don't want anything from you."

"You could have fooled me. Why don't you grow up and quit playing your stupid games!" She turned to leave, when House grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to him.

The move caught Cameron by surprise as she looked up into his steel blue eyes.

They only stared at one another for a second when his mouth came crashing down on hers, taking her breath away.

Cameron opened her mouth willingly, letting him enter. She wanted to pull away but couldn't find the strength. His tongue danced with hers, sending chills down her spine.

The fact she didn't resist inflamed House even more and he kissed her harder.

The kiss was long and passionate, their bodies molding against one another, both forgetting the world around them. When they finally pulled apart, they were both shaking from the intensity of the moment.

House stared down into Cameron's dark green pools and without thinking, gently ran his finger down the side of her face.

It took every ounce of strength Cameron had to step back and break away from his embrace. She knew she had to escape now or her heart would explode. Without saying a word, she abruptly turned, leaving House to watch her walk away. Once she was inside the stair well, tears spilled down her face.

House turned and face the open air, waiting for his heart to maintain normal rhythm again. He closed his eyes, still feeling the weight of the kiss on his lips. He knew he was in trouble. He was spinning out of control and he couldn't stop it. She was under his skin and in his heart. The question was, what was he going to do about it?

**************

It was almost five when the team decided that someone needed to stay and monitor the patient throughout the evening. Cameron gladly volunteered, hoping it would keep her mind off of House and the kiss they had shared earlier.

It was about seven when she decided she needed a break and stepped into the diagnostic's room to make some coffee. She noticed that the lights were off in House's office but the adjoining door was open. A few minutes later, she took a cup of fresh coffee and stepped into the dark office and walked over to his desk and sat down. She turned to face the window, staring at the lights that burned across the city, when suddenly she felt a presence walk up behind her, causing her to quickly turn around. She was definitely surprised to find House standing over her.

House slowly spun the chair around. "Planning on snooping through my things?"

Cameron looked up into his piercing blue eyes. "Maybe."

"I think we have some unfinished business from earlier on the roof." He said, bringing his face close to hers.

Cameron's heart began to race. "I thought that was settled." She whispered.

"No. I'm definitely sure there is unfinished business." He answered in a low, husky voice and lightly kissed her lips.

"Why are you still here?" She managed to ask.

"Because I knew you were here." He said and completely took her mouth, his tongue lightly teasing hers.

Cameron stood and leaned into him, placing her arms around his neck. Her head was screaming _don't do this _but her heart and her body told her otherwise. She glanced over to see the blinds were drawn, blocking the view from the hallway.

"I suppose the front door is locked?"

"Yep." He said with a smirk.

"How did you know I would come in here?"

"Just a suspicion." He said and kissed her harder this time, his passion growing stronger.

"And if I hadn't come in here?" She asked pulling away to walk over and push the adjoining door closed.

"I would have found you."

She turned the lock and faced him. "What makes you think I want this?" She asked.

"You just locked that door, didn't you? Besides, I felt it when you kissed me today."

She started walking towards him. "I believe it was you who kissed me."

"Nevertheless, you kissed me back." He said, pulling her to him. placing his mouth on hers forcefully. His hands began to travel slowly down her body, feeling her soft curves. He desperately began to unbutton her silky blouse, needing to feel her skin against his hands.

Cameron didn't try to stop him. She was on fire and she wanted him. One by one, she felt the buttons come undone, until she felt the cool air against her skin. She pushed his hands away and stepped back, giving him a seductive smile. Seeing the desire in his eyes only escalated her own desire. She unzipped the short black skirt she was wearing and let it fall to the floor purposely leaving her thigh high nylons and her silky panties on. She then unhooked her lacy black bra, letting it fall, baring her creamy breasts. She took House's hand and placed it on her right breast and closed her eyes as his fingers began to caress her nipple. She let out a moan and fell into him.

House nuzzled his face next to her neck, smelling the familiar scent of her hair and perfume. He slowly began to run his tongue down the side of her neck, feeling her body shudder against him. He cupped her breast and continued downward until he felt her hard nipple against his lips. He took it into his mouth and began to suck hard, causing her body to arch against his. He pulled away and saw her eyes full of passion. Without looking, he pushed everything off the his desk and in one swift movement, he spun her around and lifted her onto the hard cool surface and spread her legs with his. He captured her mouth again, enjoying the sweet taste of her lips. He then took his fingers and slid them underneath her panties and began to massage her clit.

Cameron closed her eyes and let out a hissing sound. It was all she could do to not explode. She wanted him so much, her body ached.

Feeling the moist heat coming from between her legs made House want to burst. He needed her now.

As if Cameron could read his mind, she quickly undid his belt and the zipper of his jeans and pulled down his pants and boxers. She suddenly felt him tense and realized it was because of his leg. Not taking her eyes from his, she gently touched his scar and began to rub it, letting him know it didn't matter to her. When she felt him relax slightly, she moved her hand upward and wrapped her long, slender fingers around his hard cock and smiled as she felt him tense with excitement. She leaned back on her hands and let him remove her panties. She then lifted her legs, placing her feet on the edge of his desk and carefully guided him inside of her.

As House felt her tight silky walls engulf him, he let out a sound of pleasure and steadily began to rock against her.

Cameron let her head fall backwards, enjoying the feel of him inside of her. He filled her completely with every inch of his hardness. She quivered as she felt his mouth take her breast again, twirling her nipple with his hot, moist tongue. She knew she wouldn't be able to hold out much longer.

House felt Cameron tense and knew she was close. He moved faster and just as they were about to climax, he stopped and slightly removed himself from her tight walls.

Cameron opened her eyes and looked at him. Placing her hand behind his head, she pulled his mouth down to hers and whispered against his lips, "I want you Greg."

House gave her a devious smile and thrust his hard cock inside of her again, taking them both to ecstasy. Their climax was long and hard. Both felt as if they were falling over the side of a cliff only to land in a pool of cool water, letting it swallow them completely until they couldn't hold their breaths any longer.

Cameron fell back on to the desk, with House lying partially on top of her, both at a loss for words.

House felt his legs began to shake and moved so he could fall into his chair, still trying to catch his breath.

Cameron sat up, her breathing becoming slower. Her heart, however, felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. She looked over at House, and found him watching her.

"Did you plan that too?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"It's all I've been thinking about since that kiss on the roof."

Cameron looked down at the floor and couldn't stop the smile that spread across her lips. She slid off his desk and began to slide on her skirt.

"You could leave that off for a while." He said teasingly.

"You would like that, wouldn't you?" She said and continued to get dressed. She looked at the mess on the floor. "That's quite a mess you created."

"It was definitely worth it. I don't think I will ever look at my desk again without getting a hard on."

Cameron blushed. "House!"

House pulled up his pants and fastened his belt and watched as Cameron started picking up the things on the floor.

"Leave it. It will make people wonder."

Cameron dropped the things from her hands. "Okay." She continued to look at the things scattered on the floor. "I'm going to check on our patient and then go home."

"Want some company?" He asked, his voice still heavy with passion.

Cameron walked over and stood in front of him. She stared warmly into his eyes. "I do but we both know it would only end badly. I don't want to have you telling me again that this isn't going anywhere. So, I'll just take my losses now and go home… alone." She said quietly and placed a soft kiss on his lips. Without another look, she walked out of the room leaving a stunned House standing in the dark.


	51. Cameron is missing

****************

**Chapter 51**

Steven Mayer had taken great lengths to not cause reason for suspicion from his neighbors in his quaint suburban neighborhood. This is why he waited until dark before backing his small blue truck up to his garage and unloaded the final supplies he needed to complete the project he had so diligently been working on.

Once he carried the last load into the house, he lit a cigarette and stared out into the still night. It had taken him longer than what he had originally planned to put everything in order but he was finally reaching the end of his destination, at least this stage of it.

He finished his menthol cigarette and proceeded to the dining room, moved the small table away from the wall and pulled back the brown rug, revealing the hidden door in the floor that led down to the basement. He had made the entrance after his now ex-wife had moved out. He had completely removed the entrance from the kitchen so no one would know there was a basement, making it much easier for him to conceal his secrets should anyone felt the need to nose around.

He persistently carried each load down the wooden stairs until everything he needed was in the basement. It was a small area but would do for what he was going to use it for. He had placed a twin mattress in the middle of the room and hammered steal hooks into the ground beside it. The hooks were a precaution and he hoped he wouldn't have to use them for too long to secure Allison to the area of the mattress but he knew it was going to take some time for her to adjust to her new living arrangements. Of course, the accommodations were only going to be temporary and would change once he felt it was safe and she wouldn't try to escape.

He had taken great pains to make sure she would be comfortable in her new surroundings. He had built shelves into the wall and filled them with books and magazines that he thought she would enjoy reading. In the corner, was a small table with a reading lamp and on the other side, there was a toilet and sink so she would have a bathroom. He made sure she had plenty of blankets and he even purchased a new pillow for her. However, he wasn't naïve about the situation and was prepared to discipline her if he needed to but hoped it wouldn't come to that.

He stepped back and looked around the small room, satisfied with the results. Now, all he needed was Allison and if everything goes as planned, she will be here with him in less than twenty four hours.

He glanced at his watch and saw it was after two a.m. Sunday morning. Suddenly, he felt exhausted and needed to get some sleep. He wanted to catch the early morning services at his church. He had a lot to be thankful for and believed it was necessary to thank his creator.

**************

It was Monday morning and Cameron was running late for work. Something she didn't do too often but she was tired from having to work through the weekend. Their young patient had taken a turn for the worse early Saturday morning resulting in her, Kutner and Remy to work through Sunday night. Taub conveniently never answered his pager or cell phone, so he wasn't there and Foreman was out of town. House didn't show up either but kept in contact by phone. They had worked around the clock trying to diagnose Emily Patterson but they were no closer to an answer than when she was first admitted. They had finally managed to stabilize her when Sunday night had rolled around, making it safe for them to go home and get some rest.

She had been relieved yet disappointed when House chose to stay away from the hospital and wondered if he had felt the same way. It would have been awkward to have faced him so soon after their little escapade in his office on Friday evening. Just the thought of it made her heart race. They had talked several times throughout the weekend regarding the patient and neither one had the courage to bring up what had transpired between them. However, there was a lot of silence on both ends of the phone when they had talked. She wanted to say something but what would she have said, she thought. It was her, after all, who chose to leave that night and not let him follow her home. She hated for making that decision but knew it was the right one. Her heart wasn't strong enough to just have casual sex and not feel anything for him. She had been sincere when she told him she thought it best to cut her losses now and wasn't that what he had said to her, more or less, just a week before? She thought. Who knew what he was thinking now. He could turn his feelings off and on like a water faucet and she couldn't operate that way, at least not where he was concerned. He did, however, keep tabs on her all weekend and even stayed on the phone with her while she drove home from the hospital Sunday night and was safe inside her apartment.

The distant ringing of her cell phone brought her back to the present. She picked it up and saw it was Wilson giving her his usual morning call.

"Morning Wilson." She said as she hurried through her apartment, looking for her keys.

"Hey Allison. Just checking in."

"I'm on my way out the door if I can find my car keys."

"You're running late. I figured I would catch you in your car."

"I know." She said with some agitation.

Wilson could tell she was trying to hurry. "Okay. I'll catch you at the hospital."

"Okay. See you there. Bye."

"Bye."

She stuffed her phone into her purse, found her keys on the kitchen counter and grabbed her heavier jacket as she headed out the door. The jacket was in case the weather forecast was correct and the spring snow storm that was predicted moved in later today.

As she was walking down the sidewalk, she waved at the police who were also doing their usual morning drive by. Detective Hodges had arranged for a patrol car to pass by her apartment every morning to make sure nothing looked unusual.

She hurried to her car, unlocked it, tossed her purse, bag and jacket on the passenger seat and proceeded to get in. Just as she was about to put her car into reverse, a tap on her window made her jump. She turned and was surprised to see who was standing outside her door. She gave him a smile as she rolled down her window.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" She asked curiously.

"Would you believe my car broke down across the street? I was just about to call someone when I saw you walking to your car. Thought I could bum a ride with you."

"Sure. Hop in." She said as she reached over and placed her things on the backseat.

She saw that he was standing outside her door, waiting for her to unlock it. She quickly hit the lock button. "Sorry."

"Not a problem. I really appreciate this."

"Your welcome. Do you live close by?" She asked as she situated herself again.

She suddenly felt a stinging in her right arm and turned to see what it was when she saw Steven Mayer holding a small syringe.

"Ste..ven. Wha..at are…" It didn't take long for darkness to consume Cameron, causing her to slump over sideways in her seat.

"Don't worry my sweet Allison. I only put you asleep for a little while." He said softly and laid her on the seat so no one would see.

He jumped out and ran across the street to retrieve the rental car he had picked up this morning and pulled in next to Cameron's car on the driver's side. He studied his surroundings carefully, making sure no one was watching before he exited his car and quickly removed Cameron from hers, laying her down in the back seat of the rental. He then shut her door and got back into his car and drove away. He glanced back at a sleeping Cameron, amazed at how easily it had been. He didn't have to be at the hospital until ten, giving him ample time to get Cameron situated in her new surroundings before he had to leave her. He turned on his radio, listening to a catchy little tune as he drove to his destination.

**************

House walked into his office around ten. He could hear raised voices coming from the other room and saw his team having what looked like a heated discussion. This of course peaked his curiosity, so he quickly discarded his bag and leather jacket and headed into the next room. He immediately noted that Cameron wasn't among the other's but figured she was probably checking on the patient or running an errand. He caught the last part of the conversation as he made his way to the coffee pot.

"It doesn't matter Taub. You should have called in." Thirteen said with agitation.

As House retrieved his coffee, he knew what the discussion was about. He turned and leaned against the counter and took a sip of coffee, wrinkling his nose. "Who made the coffee?" He mumbled, knowing it wasn't Cameron's coffee.

The four doctors didn't hear him and continued with their discussion.

"Dr. Taub." House butted in.

Taub turned slightly in his chair to face his boss, ready to defend his excuse for why he didn't work with his colleagues through the weekend.

"Why didn't we hear from you this weekend?"

"Family issues and I didn't have my pager with me."

"And your cell phone?" House asked.

"It was with me but it wasn't a really good time for me to talk." Taub answered with arrogance.

House cocked his head to the side and gave Taub a smirk. "Maybe this career choice isn't the right one for you. Should there be a next time, don't bother showing up at all."

"Can I explain?" Taub insisted.

"Why explain now? You could have explained over the weekend. No one wants to hear it now and I especially don't give a rats ass." He said bluntly, ending the conversation. "How is our patient?"

"The same. She's still on the respirator." Kutner answered.

"Have we heard from her family?"

"Her parents will be here this morning. She's deteriorating fast." Thirteen said.

"Then why are you sitting here discussing why stupid didn't call in this weekend. Get to work." House said sternly.

They all jumped up and were heading for the door when it dawned on him that Cameron hadn't shown up yet. "Hey! Where's Cameron?"

They all glanced at one another, shrugging their shoulders.

"We haven't seen her." Foreman said.

The hair started to stand on the back of House's neck. "What do you mean you haven't seen her? Did she call?"

"No. I figured she probably called you." Foreman added, wondering why House was suddenly concerned about Cameron.

"I haven't talked to her since last night." He mumbled as he sat his cup down on the table and hurried across the hall to Wilson's office.

The other's followed out of curiosity.

House didn't bother to knock as he burst into Wilson's office.

Wilson looked up and sighed heavily when he saw who it was that had so rudely walked in. "Do you mind? I'm with a patient." He said as he pointed to the attractive lady sitting in front of his desk.

House could care less about Wilson's patient. "Have you talked to Cameron today?"

Wilson instantly tensed. "Yes. This morning around seven thirty. Why?"

"Because she's not here." House said, his fear increasing.

"That doesn't make sense. She was leaving her apartment when I talked to her." Wilson was standing now.

House abruptly walked out of Wilson's office, pulled out his cell phone and dialed Cameron's number.

Wilson followed. "House." Wilson knew he was trying to do the impossible and read House's mind.

House ignored Wilson as he listened to the ringing on the other end. After the fifth ring, it went to Cameron's voice mail. "Damn it." He turned to Wilson. "Meet me in Cuddy's office."

"I'll be right there." Wilson answered and watched his friend practically skip to the elevators.

Wilson quickly returned to his office and explained to his patient that they would need to reschedule due to an emergency.

"What's wrong?" Foreman asked with urgency.

Wilson looked up to find Foreman and the other three standing in his doorway with concerned looks on their faces. He stared seriously at them. "We think Cameron may be missing."

"What are you talking about?" Foreman asked as he tried to understand what Wilson was saying.

Wilson took a few minutes and brought them up to speed about what had been going on. "I don't have time to tell you everything. I need to get to Cuddy's."

Foreman nodded and watched as Wilson headed to the elevators, still stunned by what he had just learned. Just then, four pagers began to go off at the same time, letting the team know that their patient was in trouble.

**************

Lisa had just sat down at her desk with a cup of hot tea and a bagel when House swung open her door, startling her. She rolled her eyes. "House. It would be nice if you would knock." She said but her tone instantly changed when she saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?" She asked, standing up.

"Cameron's missing."

"Oh God. How do you know?"

"Wilson talked to her at seven thirty this morning and she was on her way here. It's ten thirty and no one has seen her."

"Have you tried calling her?"

House gave her a stupid look.

"Of course you have." She answered for him.

House started to pace back and forth in front of Lisa's desk. "I'm going to her apartment."

"Okay." She said, knowing she wouldn't be able to talk him out of it. "Take Wilson with you. I will call Detective Hodges."

House nodded and turned just as Wilson walked in.

"I'll drive." Wilson said knowing it best to not let House go alone.

On the way out, Wilson looked at Cuddy, both knowing the situation was not good.

**************

Neither House nor Wilson said much on the drive to Cameron's apartment which was twenty five minutes away. Even though it was a short drive, it was the longest twenty five minutes of House's life. He couldn't remember if he had ever been so afraid of the unknown. On one hand, he was scared of what he might find and also scared of what he may _not _find. Either way, it was burning a hole in his chest.

Wilson looked over at House and saw the the perplexed lines etched into House's face. Sensing what he may be thinking, he tried to reassure him. "She's okay House."

"We don't know that." House said barely above a whisper.

Wilson knew that there wasn't anything he could say right now that would console his friend. So, he decided it would be best to just keep quiet.

Ten minutes later, they pulled into the parking lot of Cameron's apartment complex.

"There's her car." House pointed.

Wilson pulled up beside her jeep and House jumped out before Wilson could put the car in park.

House made sure not to touch anything but looked through the windows. What he found, sent a chill down his back. "Her purse and jacket are in here."

Wilson saw the look on House's face. "I'll knock on her door. Maybe she ran back in for something and she's still here." He said, still trying to think positive.

House ran his hand through his hair. "C'mon Cameron. Where are you?" He said out loud and decided to try her cell phone again. As he waited for her to answer, he could hear a faint ringing inside of Cameron's jeep. This only sunk his hope further.

Wilson joined him. "She didn't answer and her door is locked."

"Her cell phone is in her car." House told him. "Where the hell is that damn detective?"

"I'll call Cuddy." Wilson said and dialed Cuddy's number.

Fifteen minutes later, a patrol car and Detective Hodges pulled up to where Wilson and House were standing.

"It's about damn time." House said walking towards Hodge's car.

The two policemen walked over to Cameron's car and carefully looked around and underneath it.

House stood back and watched helplessly.

"We have a finger print crew coming out. Did either of you touch her car or rode in it recently?" Hodges asked.

"No." Wilson answered.

"I have." House said quietly.

"We will need your fingerprints to exclude you."

"Her things are in there, including her cell phone." House added.

"Do either of you have a key to her apartment?"

They both shook their heads no. "Okay. We'll get the manager to let us in. Doctor Cuddy said you talked to her this morning?" He asked Wilson as they made their way to the manager's office.

"Yeah. At seven thirty." Wilson answered.

"I checked with the officer who drove by here this morning and he said that it was around seven thirty when he saw her walking to her car. Did she sound normal when you talked to her?"

"Yes. Other than being agitated because she was running late."

House and Wilson stood outside while Hodges retrieved the manager and then they all proceeded to Cameron's apartment.

"I want the two of you to wait in the hall while I check out her apartment first."

"Why?" Wilson stupidly asked.

Hodges glanced over at Wilson. "Because I don't know what I'm going to find in there."

House stopped walking as Hodges words sunk in.

Realizing House was not walking with them, Hodges, Wilson and the manager turned to see where House was at. "You coming Dr. House?" Hodges asked.

House nodded and started walking again. He and Wilson waited impatiently in the hall why Detective Hodges checked out Cameron's apartment. A few minutes later, Hodges opened the door and told them they could go in.

"It doesn't appear that anything is out of order. Why don't the two of you take a look around and tell me if anything looks out of place or if something is missing."

They both nodded and Wilson stayed in the living room area while House headed to bedroom.

He carefully pushed the door open and looked around the room, remembering just recently how he had held her through the night in that very bed. He shook his head of the thought and continued looking for anything unusual but it all looked normal to him. Her bed was made with her pajamas neatly tossed on the end and everything was in place in her bathroom. Nothing indicating that anything was wrong. He stepped back into the living room. "Looks okay in there." He told Detective Hodges.

Wilson could tell this was bothering House. "You okay?" He whispered to House.

House only looked at him.

Detective Hodges could feel the weight of the silence in the room. He looked at the two men standing in front of him. "I know you want to help but the best thing you can do right now is to go back to the hospital and wait to see if Dr. Cameron calls. You might remember something that happened that may not have seemed important but maybe it does now."

"So basically, what you're saying is you don't have shit to go on." House said bluntly.

Detective Hodges had been doing this for a very long time and was use to the anger and hopelessness that was expressed by the victims and their family. He stepped closer to House and stared him straight in the eyes. "We don't know what we have yet, Dr. House. Someone may have seen Dr. Cameron talking to someone or seen someone around her car. This is different than when Christy Sumner was killed. We have more possibilities with this situation. We aren't even sure if Dr. Cameron is missing."

"She's missing. Cameron wouldn't just leaver without telling someone."

"He's right detective. The last thing Cameron would do is worry the people she cares about." Wilson added, stepping closer.

"I have been doing this for a very long time and I can assure you, there are always mistakes made by the perpetrator. We just have to find them."

"But will you find them in time?" House knew he was asking questions that couldn't really be answered.

"We know this guy is infatuated by Dr. Cameron. She means more to him than just a random victim. Because of that, I really believe he has plans for her and it's not to kill her or even hurt her. So, in that aspect, we are lucky. We just have to find the answers and I am going to be working around the clock to do that."

House hated more than anything to not be in control but as he listened to Hodges, he believed that the detective was being sincere and was going to do everything in his power to find Cameron. He nodded at the detective.

Hodges reached out and shook House's hand. "I will keep you abreast with everything I find."

"Thanks." Wilson said and followed House out the door.


	52. The basement

****************

**Chapter 52**

Cameron sat down on the blanket that was spread out across the green grass. She leaned back on her arms and closed her eyes, letting her head fall back. She was enjoying the warm sun on her face and the breeze swirling through her hair. It was a beautiful day, she thought and she didn't want it to end. However, she did think it was odd that she couldn't remember what day it was but a faint whistling in the distance took her mind away from the thought. She listened to the pretty sound as it continued to get louder and she realized it was getting closer and this aroused her curiosity. She sat up and opened her green eyes and was mildly surprised to see that it was House who was whistling and he was walking towards her. _Why is he here? _She wondered but something in the back of her head reminded her that he was supposed to be there. She watched as his long stride brought him closer and her heart began to race. _He is so handsome, _she thought. He was wearing faded jeans with a light blue shirt and as he approached, she noticed there was something different about him. With her head tilted to one side, she kept watching until it dawned on her what was different. He wasn't limping and he didn't have his cane. _When did that happen? _She wondered curiously.

"Hey gorgeous." House said as he sat down on the blanket beside her. He leaned in and kissed her softly on the lips.

Cameron touched her mouth as she looked into his sparkling blue eyes. The same eyes that had captured her heart five years ago.

"Wanna go for a walk?" He asked, running his finger lightly up her arm. "There's a stream over the hill and a secluded spot where we could make out. Maybe you'll let me get to second base." He teased.

Cameron smiled as she stared at the devious little grin spread across his irresistible mouth.

Not waiting for an answer, House stood and held out his hand to her.

_This feels so strange,_ she thought. She placed her delicate hand into his and stood but a wave of dizziness quickly consumed her and everything began to go black. _House_, she called out. _House! _

Cameron felt herself being pulled away. Everything was spinning and she kept reaching for House's hand but he kept slipping further away from her. Panic was now taking over the calmness she was feeling only moments ago. She could feel herself trying to talk but no words were coming out. Suddenly, the spinning stopped and she felt herself engulfed in total darkness. The world around her was quiet... too quiet. A strange smell drifted past her and this is when she realized her eyes were closed. Slowly, she opened them and found herself in a dimly lit room. _House? _She called out again, hoping he was still with her but there was nothing but silence. She realized that she had been dreaming and House was no where around. The panic began to grow stronger as she desperately tried to grasp where she was. She was cold and her head was filled with an intense pounding. She let her eyes adjust to the room, noticing there was a small window in the corner, the only source of light in the room. She lied very still, afraid to move and after a few minutes, she decided to sit up. Again, a wave of dizziness swept over her and she closed her eyes until it passed. She opened her eyes again and looked around. There were some objects in the room but it didn't appear that anyone was in there with her. She began to scoot to the edge of the thin mattress she was sitting on and discovered there was something heavy weighing her left arm down. She raised her arm and stared at it in shock. Attached to her wrist was a rusty, metal shackle and hanging from the shackle was a long chain. Her eyes traveled down the chain and saw that it was attached to a hook of some kind, pushed into the ground. She blinked several times, hoping this would wake her from the nightmare but it didn't. _This can't be real, _she thought, her fear increasing. She took a deep breath and slowly her mind began to flash back to earlier. She remembered being in her apartment, getting ready for work. She remembered talking to Wilson and walking to her Jeep but then things became confusing and she couldn't remember what happened next. She took another deep breath and urged her memory to press on. Suddenly, Steven's face flashed in her head and a cold chill slid down her skin. _Oh my God_, she whispered as she remembered Steven sitting next to her in her car and feeling something sharp being jabbed into her arm. _He's the one, _she thought_. _

As the realization of this began to set in, Cameron began to gasp for air. She tried to breath but her throat felt like it was closing. She was having a panic attack and knew if she didn't calm herself, she would pass out. She leaned forward, holding her head down and after a few minutes, the muscles in her throat began to relax and her lungs filled with air once again. She continued to hold her head down until her breathing became normal again.

Slowly she raised her head and focused on her surroundings once again, still not wanting to believe this was actually happening to her. She couldn't believe she had been so foolish but it had never occurred to her that the one who wanted to hurt her was someone she knew... someone she had befriended. She almost laughed at the thought of what House would say to her if he knew how stupid she had been. Then it occurred to her, did House know that she was missing? Did any one know? Her fear was escalating again and she pushed it down so she could focus on her situation. She needed to find a way to get out of the mess she had put herself in and fear would only jeopardize that.

Again, she focused on the room. She could tell that she was in a basement and there were two sets of stairs. One leading to a door that looked like it had been closed off and the other set leading to an opening in the ceiling. She presumed she was in Steven's house but wasn't sure. She swung her legs around and placed them on the cold floor, discovering she didn't have any shoes on. She looked down at the thin mattress and realized the smell she had been smelling was coming from the mattress, which smelled of dried pee. She looked across the room and on the opposite side, she spied a toilet and sink. The thought of having to use them gave her a sickening feeling. Behind her, were three shelves filled with books and magazines and next to them, in a corner, was a table with a lamp sitting on top of it. An eerie feeling came over her as she looked at all the things in the room. She couldn't help but wonder how long Steven planned to keep her there. She noticed there was a bottle of water sitting at her feet. She picked it up and examined it carefully. Once she was satisfied that it hadn't been tampered with, she opened it and took a few sips. The cool water sliding down her throat felt good and helped clear her head.

After collecting her thoughts, she looked at the metal shackle around her wrist. She played with it a minute, realizing there was no way she was going to remove it from her wrist. The next thing, she thought, would be to attempt to pull it from the ground. She stood slowly and almost fell over due to the dizziness she was still experiencing. It took a minute for her to balance herself. She then wrapped the chain tightly around her hands and pulled as hard as she could. She tried this several times. Each time, pulling harder. She pulled so hard, her fingers gripping the chain, began to bleed slightly. After doing this with no luck of freeing herself, she reluctantly accepted the fact that she wasn't going to be able to remove the shackle without a key. She sat back down on the smelly mattress and dropped her head into her hands, letting the weight of her situation sink in. Tears began to roll down her pale cheeks. She just couldn't grasp the idea that she had been kidnapped. It seemed so unreal, like something out of a movie. She was cold, scared and angry and she knew it was these things that were going to keep her alive and eventually free her. She had to continue to believe that.

She glanced at the small window again. At least she knew it was still daylight. The pounding in her head had increased and she wondered what drug Steven had given her to sleep. As much as she didn't want to, she grabbed the folded blanket at the end of the mattress and lied down, curling up on her side like a small child. A lone tear escaped the corner of one eye and she angrily wiped it away. The last thing she wanted to do was to feel sorry for herself. She wondered what was going to happen when Steven came back and the thought of that, terrified her. She wanted to scream but knew there was only silence listening.

She didn't know how long she lied there, struggling with her thoughts, before exhaustion took over and she fell into a restless sleep.


	53. House waits for news

****************

**Chapter 53**

The team, along with Cuddy, were waiting in House's office when House and Wilson walked in. House hated the solemn look on their faces. It made the horrible situation more real.

"Well?" Lisa asked.

Wilson shook his head sadly. "She wasn't there, just her car. The police are there now. We came back here to wait."

"Did anyone see anything?" Lisa persisted.

"We don't know yet." Wilson said and sat down.

All eyes turned to House, who was now standing behind his desk. He could feel the heavy weight of their stare.

Finally, Foreman's voice filled the air. "Emily Patterson coded."

House sighed heavily. "And… is she still breathing?"

"Not without the machine." Taub said.

Lisa walked over to House's desk. "She's gone House. We can't save her."

House stared at Lisa and for a minute, he thought she was talking about Cameron.

Lisa realized how her statement must have sounded and quickly continued. "The patient is brain dead."

House nodded not fighting the situation. "Is her family here?"

"Her mother showed up this morning but her father won't be here for another hour or so." Thirteen said.

"Are her parents divorced?" House asked curiously, thinking how he really didn't know anything about his patient but then again, he never did. His job was to cure them, not to hold their hand.

"Yes, her parents are divorced." Thirteen answered.

House rubbed his scruffy chin. "Let them decide when to pull the plug."

"You're not even going to see if we missed something?" Taub asked in an annoyed voice.

House studied his team for a minute. "Did you do everything you could to stabilize her?" He asked Lisa.

"I believe we did." Lisa answered.

He looked at Foreman, Kutner and Thirteen. "Any new ideas, new tests we can run?"

"Not with her being brain dead." Foreman answered.

House looked past them, avoiding their sad eyes. "Are we sure she's brain dead? Has she been tested?"

"Yes." They said in unison.

"But?" Taub said.

"Then there's nothing else we can do." House said as he sat down.

"That's not like you." Taub persisted, ignoring the glares from his colleagues.

"She's brain dead. What part of that do you not understand. No matter what we do, it's not going to bring her back. Leave it alone." House said in a low voice.

Not liking the answer, Taub abruptly left the room.

The room with glass walls filled with silence again. House hated what the silence meant.

"Did Detective Hodges say anything?" Lisa asked, looking at Wilson and House.

Wilson decided to answer since it was apparent House wasn't. "He doesn't have enough information to say anything, at least not yet."

"So, we don't have any idea what happened?" Kutner asked.

It was apparent that Kutner, Foreman and Thirteen were still trying to grasp the situation and needed something to fill the blanks. Wilson understood this and told them what little information he and House knew.

"Cameron's car was there with her coat and purse inside laying on the back seat but nothing appeared to be disturbed in her apartment. So, the confrontation must have happened while she was getting into her car. When we left, the police were starting to talk to the other residents and searching her car. It will probably be a while before we know anything."

"Why didn't anyone tell us what was going on?" Foreman finally asked the one question that had been bugging him since he found out about everything.

"Because everyone is a suspect and the Detectives asked us not to say anything." Lisa answered.

"But you guys know we would never hurt Cameron. Didn't she know that?"

"Of course she knew that." Lisa answered.

"Cameron didn't want anyone to know. She didn't want anyone to feel awkward around her." Wilson said

"That's so Cameron, isn't it?" House finally spoke.

All attention turned back to House.

"It's true." He added.

"So, we just wait?" Foreman asked.

"I'm afraid so unless you can think of anything you have seen or heard that might help." Wilson said.

"So, Christy's death has something to do with Cameron?" Thirteen asked.

"They think the same man who killed Christy is the same one who has been stalking Cameron." Lisa answered.

"That's horrible." Thirteen said barely above a whisper.

"Well, I can't stand around. I'm going to check on Taub. I don't want him saying anything that will give Emily's mother false hope." Kutner said.

"I'll go with you." Thirteen said as she walked out the door with Kutner.

Foreman looked at Thirteen. "I'll be there in a minute." He paused and then continued. "There's not anything else you're not telling us, is there?"

"You know everything we know." House answered.

"What about Chase?" Foreman asked.

The question stunned House, Wilson and Cuddy.

"What about Chase?" House asked, his agitation apparent.

Foreman could tell the question bothered House. He stepped forward and continued. "He should know, shouldn't he? I mean, someone… one of us should tell him what's going on."

"Why the hell should we worry about Chase? He didn't give a shit when he screwed around on Cameron."

Lisa sighed. "Foreman's right. One of us should let him know what's going on before he hears it on the news or around the hospital."

"Again, why?" House said slowly.

"Because, there was a time he cared very much about Cameron and in a way, he's still a part of this team."

"He's not part of this team." House spat out.

Wilson knew this wasn't going very well. "House. They're right. Chase should hear it from one of us."

House glared at Wilson but didn't say anything else.

Lisa looked at Foreman. "You tell him but do it where no one else can hear. The news will get out soon enough."

Foreman nodded and left to find Chase.

"Does she have family?" Wilson asked.

"She has a brother." House answered.

"I'm sure the police will notify him." Lisa said.

Eerie silence filled the room again.

"I need to make some calls." Lisa said, breaking the silence. "Can I get you anything?" She asked House.

House looked at her with empty eyes. "Why would I need anything?" He said flatly.

Lisa gave one of her annoyed sighs. "Of course. I forgot who I was talking to." She turned to Wilson and motioned for him to meet her in the hall.

Wilson waited for Lisa to leave before saying anything. "She worried about you."

"She's always worried about me."

Wilson shook his head. "I need to get back to work. Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm better than Cameron." House said sarcastically.

"House this isn't your fault."

"I thought you were leaving." House said giving Wilson the clue he didn't want consoling at the moment.

"Right." He paused before continuing. "I'll check on you later." Wilson said and walked into the hall to find Lisa standing by the elevators, waiting. He quickly walked towards her.

"Is he okay?" She asked in a worried tone.

"No. He's not. He feels guilty and he's worried that the worst is going to happen and I have to say that I'm afraid of that too."

"We can't think like that. Do whatever you have to do to hold him together." She paused. "I should have seen it."

"Seen what?" Wilson asked.

"That House is in love with Cameron."

"You didn't want to see it, just like I didn't want to believe you are in love with House."

Lisa looked into Wilson's warm eyes. "I thought I was in love with him. I care about him, I always will but I don't love him. Can we move on now… please? I know I hurt you but it would kill me to lose your friendship."

"I'm trying. I just need some time." Wilson admitted.

When the elevator doors opened, Lisa stepped on. "Can we talk later?" She asked quickly, before the doors closed.

"Yeah." He answered.

**************

House waited until Wilson had left his office before he unlocked the filing cabinet behind his desk and pulled out the file that had Cameron's name on it.

He quickly scanned the file and found what he was looking for at the bottom of the second page. _One brother, Bryan. Lives in Chicago, Illinois. _House jotted down the number and took out his phone. He hesitated before dialing the 773 area code. He wasn't exactly sure how to start the conversation but knew Cameron would want her brother to hear the news from someone she trusted rather than the police.

House held his breath as he heard the first ring, his heart pounding against his chest. After the fifth ring, he was beginning to think no one was going to answer when all of a sudden the ringing stopped. There was a pause and then a male voice spoke.

"Hello." The man said.

House froze.

"Hello." The person on the other end said again.

"Is this Bryan Cameron? Allison Cameron's brother?" House finally managed to ask.

"Yes it is. Who is this?" Bryan asked.

"This is Greg House."

House paused.

Outside, the wind had picked up and the snow that had been promised, had begun to fall. House watched the snow fall as he continued with the dreaded news he needed to tell Bryan.


	54. Chapter 54

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**Chapter 54**

The cold air had settled in the dark room causing a sleeping Cameron to shiver. However, Cameron was lost once again in her dreams… She was sitting with House by a small stream. The rain clouds that were building in the distance were causing a breeze to blow and the cool air was making Cameron cold. She snuggled closer to House, laying her head upon his chest. The warmth of his body next to hers should have warmed her but she found herself getting colder. The wind began to blow harder and the rain started to fall. She heard House call her name, telling her they needed to go but just as she looked up into his face, darkness pulled her away once again, only this time it didn't take long for her to open her eyes to find herself engulfed in silence, realizing the cold was real and the dream was not.

It took a couple of minutes for Cameron to become fully aware of her surroundings. As she slowly sat up, the metal attached to her wrist made a clanking noise, reminding her exactly where she was and an empty feeling filled her once again. Again, the only light in the room was coming from the small window in the corner and she wondered what time it was. Her stomach growled slightly and she desperately had to go to the bathroom. She knew she had ignored her bladder long enough and as much as she hated the thought, she made her way to the dreaded toilet across the room. She glanced around to make sure there was no one else in the room before she quickly pulled down her pants and sat on the cold seat. For a moment, she thought it amusing that she was using a toilet in a basement while being held against her will. However, the moment passed quickly. Just as she stood, a loud thump on the floor above her nearly caused her heart to jump out of her chest. She scrambled back across the room as fast as she could and quickly laid down on the smelly mattress, listening carefully to every sound. S he kept telling herself to remain calm but she could feel the panic beginning to take over. When the door at the top of the stairs opened, she swiftly placed her hand over her mouth to stop the scream that wanted so badly to escape. She slowed her breathing and closed her eyes, only opening them slightly so she could watch the man who had taken her, climb down the stairs. It was all she could do to not become hysterical as she watched him move across the room towards her. She let her eyes close all the way so he would think she was sleeping but she could feel his presence coming closer. It took all her will power to not move when she felt him place his face next to hers, letting his hot stale breath fall across her skin.

"Al-lli-son. Wake up." Steven said softly, almost singing the words.

Cameron didn't budge.

"Allison." He said again. "Time to wake up. I have some dinner for you." He moved around to the other side of her and screwed a light bulb into the small lamp that was sitting on the table and turned it on.

"C'mon Allison. I know you're awake." He said more sternly.

Cameron slowly opened her eyes and let them adjust to the light in the room. It startled her to find him standing at the foot of the mattress, looking down at her.

Steven smiled. "There you are. You are all I have been thinking about." He grabbed the chair that was in the corner and moved around to the side of her. "How was your day?" He asked as he sat down.

Cameron was appalled at the question. _Is he kidding? _She shouted in her head.

Steven watched her, waiting for her to answer. "C'mon. Sit up. Talk to me." He said, tapping his knee impatiently with his hand.

Cameron didn't want to talk. What she wanted was to bash his head in. She felt him grab her arm and pull her up.

"Sit up Allison. I want to talk to you." He said again.

"Where are my shoes?" She asked realizing she hadn't said anything since this morning.

"Is that all you have to say?" He asked with annoyance.

She gave him a bewildered look. "Am I supposed to be happy to see you?" She asked with sarcasm in her voice.

"I suppose you may need a little time… to adjust to your situation. You're shoes are upstairs along with your coat."

A wave of dizziness swept through Cameron again and she reached up and touched her head. "What drug did you give me?"

"Always searching for the answers, aren't you?" He chuckled. "I gave you Etomidate."

Cameron was surprised. "Where did you get Etomidate?"

"It wasn't too hard. The RN on the late shift, I believe her name is Nora, is sometimes forgetful. She has a tendency to leave her key hanging in the lock of the drug cabinet. I bet you didn't know that, did you?" He asked with amusement. "So, I just watched and waited. One night, about two weeks ago, sure enough, she forgot her key. I grabbed it and went down to the basement and made a copy. When I got back upstairs, she was already frantically looking for it. So, I dropped it in a place where she would easily find it, letting her think the pink ribbon it was tied to, just came undone. Then I waited until no one was looking and removed the drug. Very simple, actually."

"We count those drugs every day. When did you take it?"

"Last night."

A small feeling of hope swept through Cameron. "They will know it is missing."

Steven shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe but they will never suspect me as being the one who took it. I mean lets face it. I'm everyone's favorite security guard." He said with surety.

Cameron was sickened with his confidence. He was right, however. For someone to even suspect him would be a miracle. Nevertheless, it still gave her some hope.

Steven watched Cameron's face and wondered what she was thinking.

"How much did you give me because I have been sick all day?" She asked.

"Only enough to put you asleep for a little while. You shouldn't be feeling the after affects any more. Maybe you're coming down with something." He reached out to touch her forehead and Cameron instantly pulled back.

"I'mm-mm okay." She stuttered.

Steven pulled back his hand, ignoring her reaction to his touch. "How about some dinner?"

"I'm really not hungry."

"You have to eat. It will make you feel better."

_Let me go you bastard and I will feel better! _Cameron shouted in her head.

"I picked up some yummy ham sandwiches from that little deli around the corner from the hospital. You know, the one you like to stop in at on your way home from work sometimes?"

Cameron stared at him. "How do you know that?"

"I have been watching you a long time Allison. There's a lot I know about you."

The thought of Steven watching her, sickened her even more.

Steven saw the look of fear on Cameron's face. "Don't be afraid Allison. I don't want to hurt you. I love you."

"Love me." Cameron responded coldly. "You don't hold someone you love against their will, Steven. If you really care about me, you will not do this."

Cameron's cold tone surprised Steven. He had never encountered this side of her and wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't want to be angry with her but his first encounter with her wasn't going as well as he planned.

"So, I should just let you go and you won't tell a soul who took you?" He asked mockingly.

"If that's what it takes to let me go. Then yes, I won't tell anyone." Cameron lied.

Steven cocked his head and stared at her. "You know I can't take that chance Allison. Besides, I brought you here so we could be together and I know in time, you will feel the same way about me as I feel about you."

Cameron was not in the mood to play his game. "No Steven. Keeping me here like this will only make me hate you. This is wrong. Surely you know that?"

Steven was trying to control his temper. "Just wait. You will see. You will love me, no matter how long it takes. Now, how about some dinner. I'm really hungry and I thought we could eat together - down here of course. I would love for you to see the snow that is falling. It's so beautiful but I don't think you're ready to be taken upstairs yet."

Cameron listened as he continued to talk as if keeping her against her will was a normal thing to do. She never thought about Steven actually being crazy. She had foolishly believed she would be able to reason with him and he would see what he was doing was wrong but now, she realized he had every intention of not letting her go.

Steven was still talking as he climbed up the stairs. "I'll be back in a minute with our sandwiches."

Cameron watched as he closed the small door at the top of the stairs. She looked around the small, cold room and vowed that it would not be her final resting place.


	55. Chapter 55

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**Chapter 55**

Steven returned half hour later carrying a tray with two sandwiches and two diet cokes.

Cameron watched as he sat the tray down on the mattress and retrieved a small folding table that was propped against the wall and sat it in front of her. He then sat the tray on the table and pulled up the chair he had been sitting in earlier and opened up each of the containers that held the sandwiches, pushing one towards Cameron.

He looked at Cameron. "C'mon Allison. Let's eat." He said with enthusiasm.

Cameron reluctantly did what she was told and proceeded to take a small bite of her sandwich. The thought of doing something normal, like eating, wasn't too appealing at the moment. She was thankful that they were eating in silence. She was not in the mood to listen to any more of his little speeches of why they should be together. She managed to choke down a few bites of the sandwich before pushing it away from her. She glanced at Steven, who was not having any problems eating. As a matter of fact, he was so consumed with his own food, he didn't seem to notice she had stopped eating. Cameron continued to sit quietly, taking a few sips of her soda and waited for Steven to finish.

When Steven finally took his last bite, he looked over at Cameron and saw that she hadn't finished her food. "Why aren't you eating?" He asked annoyed.

"I told you I wasn't hungry. My stomach is upset and I have a headache." Cameron answered softly.

"You have to eat Allison. I hope you don't plan on being difficult every time we are together. That could cause problems for you."

Cameron looked at him and wondered what he meant by _problems_.

Steven abruptly stood and grabbed the plates, letting Cameron know he was not happy.

Cameron remained silent as Steven climbed back up the stairs. She listened to his movements above her and presumed she was either under the kitchen or close to it. Why that mattered, she didn't know. She was just trying to imagine the rooms above her incase she had an opportunity to escape. She stared at the objects around her and observed how neatly everything was placed. Steven definitely intended to keep her there for a while, at least until he felt he could trust her and move her upstairs. But how long would it take for her to gain his trust? She wondered. She knew she couldn't wait that long. She had to find a way to get out soon.

After sitting for quite some time, Steven finally returned with two asprin and a bottle of water. "Here." He said and dropped the asprin into her hands.

Cameron was surprised he had given her something for her headache. "Thanks." She said, hating that she had to be grateful for something he did.

Steven unplugged the small lamp and placed it in the furthest corner where she couldn't reach it. He saw that she was watching him. "If you behave yourself, I will let you have the light but not yet. You have to earn it."

Cameron bit her lip, holding back a rush of emotion. The thought of someone controlling her was over whelming.

Steven walked around and stood in front of her. "I realize you don't know all the rules yet Allison but you will have to be good, like eating the food I so _lovingly_ brought to you."

Cameron hadn't realized how upset he was over her not eating. "I told you Steven, I'm not feeling well. It _has_ been a long day." She tried not to sound cold but she couldn't help it.

Steven turned around so she couldn't see the anger that crossed his face. "That's what I'm talking about. That tone of yours will have to change if you want things from me. If you continue to be difficult, I will be forced to punish you and I don't want to have to do that. Keep in mind, I don't have to do something to you directly to punish you."

Cameron suddenly became alarmed. "What do you mean?" She asked, staring at Steven's back.

"I'm prepared to hurt those you care about." He said as he turned around and looked at her again. "Maybe someone who is special in your life." Steven gave her an evil grin.

_Does he mean House? _She wondered.

Steven turned and started back towards the stairs, satisfied he had gotten his point across. Just as he was about to take the first step up the stairs, he stopped and turned to her. "You know Allison, I have been dreaming and fantasizing about this moment for a very long time now. Don't ruin it before giving us a chance."

Cameron watched as the evil man she once thought her friend climbed the stairs for the final time of the night, his cold words still hanging in the air. The thought of him hurting someone she cared about, terrified her. She waited until he had closed the door before she dropped her head into her hands and began to cry. She still couldn't believe this was happening to her. Thoughts of her brother crossed her mind and she wondered if he knew yet. She knew the news of her disappearance would be devastating to him. She thought about her little apartment and she wished she was there right now, warm and safe.

As she laid down on the mattress and pulled the thin blanket over her, thoughts of House began to run through her head. She wondered if he was looking for her, was he worried, did he miss her? Would she ever feel his touch again or his lips on hers? There was so much left unsaid between them. Would he ever know how much he meant to her? She wondered as tears fell down the sides of her face.

She didn't know how long she had been crying when she realized that there was no more movement above her and she presumed Steven had probably gone to bed. Suddenly, she felt the darkness engulf her like a thick blanket. She stared at the light from the small window and actually found it comforting for some reason. She knew she had to continue to think clearly if she was ever going to find a way to get out of the prison she was forced to be in. She also knew that she had to out smart Steven at his own game even if she didn't know how to do that yet.

She could feel her eyelids growing heavier and knew she couldn't fight sleep any longer. Her body and her mind were tired. As her mind began to drift, she thought about God. Was he real? Was he watching over her? She wondered. She hadn't prayed in a very long time. The last time was when she was a teenager and even then she was skeptical if he existed but just before she drifted into a restless sleep, she said a small prayer… _God, if you are out there, please keep those I love safe and save me from this nightmare. _


	56. Chapter 56

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**Chapter 56**

House sat on his bike, mesmerized by the snow that was falling peacefully around him. He was sitting outside Cameron's apartment, watching her windows, hoping for some kind of sign that she was really there and this was all a terrible dream but the windows were dark and cold as the air around him.

He stared into the night sky and for the first time in a very long time, he thought about God. He had always chosen to believe there was not such an entity. Why would a God that was supposed to be so loving and caring, let so much turmoil fill the world? However, tonight he wanted more than anything to believe there was a higher being that was watching over the world and would make the nightmare Cameron had been swept into, end. He shook his head of foolish thoughts and was about to start his bike when he thought he heard a voice call his name. He looked around, sure that someone had said his name but didn't see anyone around. A chill, not caused by the cold, traveled through his tired body and he suddenly had an over powering urge to do something he hadn't done since his childhood. With some hesitation, he turned his face upwards and began to speak to a God he wasn't sure existed.

_I'm not even sure how to do this. _He spoke the words slowly. _I have mocked people for doing this very thing. But maybe there is a chance you are really out there listening to the poor miserable souls who choose to speak to you. _He paused… _I need… Please… _House stumbled over his words. He took a deep breath and began again. _I know I'm not the best person to ask you for a favor. Let's face it, this is me and if you are my creator, then you know how I am. I'm a bastard in every sense of the word. I constantly use… and hurt… those who care for me the most. I have hurt so many, I don't know how I could ever be forgiven… but I have also given many a second chance when they thought they would never take another breath. Maybe that counts for something because I don't have anything else to give. This prayer… if you can call it a prayer… is for Cameron. She is out there with some mad man and no one has a clue where she is or who has her. _He stopped and felt his chest tighten with emotion. Suddenly, he was consumed with a deep anger and with clenched fists at his side, he yelled into the darkness. _Why did you let this happen, you bastard! Why Cameron! She has never hurt anyone! _He couldn't hold back the tears or the emotion he felt any longer. His body shook with grief. The thought of never seeing Cameron again was too much. He had never felt so alone, so lost, so out of control than he did at that moment. The pain he felt inside was almost unbearable. It was a pain he had never felt before and he hated that he couldn't make it stop.

After what seemed like a very long time, he looked around and noticed how calm the air around him felt. He sat quietly and absorbed the calmness. Then in a voice barely above a whisper, he spoke once again.

_Cameron doesn't deserve this. The world is a better place with her in it. _He choked back the emotion once more. _I have never told her how I feel about her. I've always pushed her away and made her feel foolish for thinking I felt anything… but I do… care about her. _House let his voice trail off_. I don't know what else to say. You may not give a damn about me and I really could care less if you do or don't… but if you're out there, Cameron needs you. _

He closed his eyes and let his head drop, feeling the cold for the first time. He looked once more at the dark windows of Cameron's apartment before starting his bike and heading home.


	57. Chapter 57

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**Chapter 57**

House pulled into the parking lot outside his condo and parked his bike. Just as he was taking off his helmet, a movement out of the corner of his eye caught his attention. He was mildly surprised to see a freezing Wilson standing on the sidewalk, holding a pizza box.

"What are you doing here?" House asked although he already knew the answer.

"What are you doing riding your bike in this weather?" Wilson asked sternly.

House didn't answer as he limped past a very cold Wilson.

Wilson ignored House's silence and continued. "Thought you would like some pizza. I brought beer too."

House stopped and looked at Wilson. "I don't need a babysitter." He said bitterly.

"I know that but I thought you could use a friend." Wilson said through chattering teeth.

House looked downward and sighed. "C'mon. Let's go inside. It's freezing out here." And the two men continued up the sidewalk to the front door.

Once inside, House immediately took off his leather jacket and kicked off his Nike tennis shoes.

Wilson sat the pizza and beer down on the coffee table and went into the kitchen to grab some napkins. He joined House on the leather sofa and placed a piece of pizza on each plate while House opened two of the beers. They sat back and began to eat, neither saying anything for the first several minutes.

It was Wilson who broke the silence first. "So, where were you? I called you four times." He asked taking a drink of his cold beer.

"Obviously I didn't want to talk." House scoffed.

Wilson looked over at House and noticed how emotionally drained he looked. Wilson was instantly over come by emotion at his friend's pain. However, he knew it was best to not say anything and chose to keep silent.

House turned on the TV to help ease the silence that was dominating the room.

After half an hour or so, only two slices of pizza had been eaten and both men were still sipping on their first beer. It was clear that neither Wilson or House really had much of an appetite.

"I called Cameron's brother tonight." House finally spoke.

Wilson was surprised. "You did? What made you decide to do that?"

"I thought it would be better if he heard the news from someone who knew Cameron."

"How did he take it?"

"How do you think he took it? He's flying in tomorrow morning. He's stopping by the hospital to pick up a key to Cameron's apartment."

"You have a key to Cameron's apartment?" Wilson asked curiously.

"Does it surprise you that I have a key?"

Wilson thought for a few seconds. "Not really." He answered taking the last drink of his beer. He gathered up the pizza and the plates, noticing that House had only taken a few bites of his one piece. He returned and opened another beer. "Do you want another beer?"

"I'm not really in a drinking mood." House answered somberly.

Wilson understood. "So, have you ever met Cameron's brother?"

"Nope."

"I wonder what he's like? Cameron has mentioned him a few times. Seems like a nice guy. I know they're close."

House listened to Wilson wondering if his best friend knew Cameron better than he did.

"Did you stop by the police station and give them a set of your fingerprints?"

"They already have a set on file from that crap with Tritter."

"Oh, that's right. I forgot about that."

House leaned forward and let out a long, slow breath.

Wilson placed a hand on his friends shoulder. "They will find her."

House shrugged off Wilson's hand. "You don't know that. No one knows that. We don't know if we will ever see her again."

"Don't think like that."

"Why the hell not?" House said angrily. "Everyone is thinking it. Why not say it?"

Wilson looked away, not knowing what to say. It was true. The thought had even crossed his mind.

"What's the matter? No pep talk? No speech to tell me why I shouldn't think that?" House said bitterly.

"No, House. I don't have any magical words that are going to tell you what will happen. You just have to believe in your heart that Cameron will be found and she will be okay."

House leaned back. "I have never been good at waiting and I don't like not knowing."

"I know." Wilson said quietly.

"I should have been with her but instead, I did what I always do. I pushed her away."

"This is not your fault. No one could be with Cameron all the time." Wilson paused. "As for pushing her away, I don't have an answer for that. I don't understand why you won't let yourself be happy."

"Because I would only hurt her." House defended his actions.

"Not if you don't want to. Besides, don't you think it should be Cameron's decision?"

"Cameron thinks too much with her heart."

"Maybe you should try it." Wilson said carefully.

House made a grunting sound. "Only fools think with their hearts."

"Maybe so but sometimes you just have to go out on a limb to get what you want. Isn't she worth it?"

House stared at Wilson. "I would only screw it up."

"Cameron knows how you are. She has always been in your corner whether you wanted her to or not. If there is any one who can put up with you and love you the way you are, it's Cameron."

"She's better off without me in her life."

Wilson was sadden by House's continued negativity. "House, the heart never lies. It wants what it wants. It doesn't matter if you ignore it or continue to push Cameron away or have a relationship with someone else. There is always going to be that part of your heart that will want Cameron. I just think if Cameron is willing to take a chance on you, you should take a chance on her. I would think that after this is all over with, there is nothing that would keep you away from her."

House looked away and sighed heavily. His chest was tight from the emotion that was building inside again. "I don't want to talk about this any more. I'm tired." He said and turned off the TV.

"Okay." Wilson said, knowing it was no use to push the issue further. "I'll just crash on the couch tonight."

"I said I don't need a baby sitter. I'm fine. I'll call you if I hear anything." House stood, letting Wilson know it was time for him to leave.

Wilson took the hint and stood and put on his coat. He walked slowly to the door but before he opened it, he turned to House once more. "Think about what I said House. You deserve to be happy and you deserve to be with Cameron. Call me if you need anything." He said and walked out.

House stepped to the window to see that it was still snowing and wondered if Cameron was warm… wherever she was. He rubbed his unshaven chin and started to walk towards his piano when he spied the tattered gray book that was high on his book shelf. Inside the book, hidden away, was the resignation letter Cameron had given him. He had never read it. He walked over and removed the book from it's resting place. He pulled out the sealed envelope and stared at his name that was written neatly on the front. He knew the contents were filled with Cameron's feelings of why she felt the need to leave… and also what she felt for him. He turned it over and carefully began to tear open the seal, then stopped. He wasn't ready to read her words yet, especially not now. He placed the envelope between the worn pages again and carefully placed the book back in it's place. It gave him some comfort to know her words were there, hidden from everyone except him.

He suddenly felt exhausted. Forgetting about his piano, he instead limped over and turned off the lamp and slowly made his way to his bedroom. Not bothering to turn on any lights, he sat down on his bed in the dark and opened up the orange vile that was sitting on the nightstand and popped two little white pills into his mouth and swallowed. He laid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He knew it was going to be a long night. It wasn't long before his mind began to wander back to the night, not so long ago, when he had held Cameron next to him. He could still feel her soft skin next to his and hear her laughter dancing around the room. Somehow, the thoughts of Cameron comforted him and it wasn't long before he drifted into a restless sleep.


	58. Chapter 58

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**Chapter 58**

It was a cold, snowy Tuesday morning when Bryan Cameron's plane landed at Newark Liberty National Airport. As he waited patiently for the plane to taxi to the terminal, the anxiety he had managed to push aside during the flight was coming back, along with the sick feeling that was churning in the pit of his stomach.

Finally, he felt the plane come to a stop and it seemed to take forever before they finally let him and the other passengers exit the plane. He ignored the smiling flight attendant that wished him a nice day as he exited.

He hurried across the terminal, dodging all the people who insisted on getting in his way and took the escalator down to the lower level to collect his luggage where he knew he would have to wait again.

After waiting twenty minutes, he finally saw his two green bags roll past him. He stepped in, collected the two bags and made his way out into the cold to catch a cab. As he waited at the curb for the yellow taxi to pull up, the cold wind whipped against his face and he found it hard to believe that it was the beginning of Spring. He piled his things into the back seat and tried to relax as the driver hurried through the busy streets to the hospital. At least the taxi driver seemed to be in a hurry, which improved his mood some.

As the cab zipped through the heavy traffic like a mouse being chased through a field, he let his mind wonder back to the phone call he had received the night before from House. He was still in a daze and couldn't digest the fact that his little sister had been kidnapped. He could hear the emotion in House's voiced as he did his best to explain what had happened with Allison but nothing made sense to Bryan. Why anyone would want to hurt Allison was beyond his scope of thinking. After his conversation with House he immediately called the Jersey police to ask why they had not notified him yet of his sister's disappearance. He was transferred to Detective Hodges who explained that he was going to notify him first thing in the morning about the situation. Needless to say, the detective's answer did not please Bryan Cameron and he was grateful that Dr. House had taken it upon himself to call and give him the news himself.

Now, less than twenty four hours later, he was in a city with thousands of people he didn't know, hoping to find answers that would help him find his sister. It was going to be like trying to find a needle in a haystack and he didn't know where to begin. He knew the police were only going to give him limited information.

He let out a long breath when he felt the cab slow down to turn into the hospital parking lot. Bryan handed the driver a twenty and dragged his bags onto the sidewalk. He stood outside and stared into the glass doors of the hospital for a minute before going in to meet the man he knew his sister was in love with.

**************

Wilson's morning hadn't been going well. He was late getting to the hospital because his car wouldn't start, which caused him to be late for his 8:00 o'clock appointment, which pushed his 9:00 a.m. appointment, that he had forgotten about because he didn't put it into his date book, to 9:30. It was now 10:30 and he was anxious that he hadn't heard from House yet. It wasn't like House to not find a way to annoy him at least once before lunch. However, nothing was normal right now and that was why he wanted to make sure his friend was okay. Wilson quickly signed off on one more report before pushing the stack of unfinished paper work to the side. He quickly walked next door, where he found House sitting at his desk, staring at his computer screen.

House heard someone come in and glanced up.

Wilson didn't miss the dark circle underneath his eyes. "Did you get any sleep last night?" He asked with concern.

House looked away and didn't answer.

"Never mind. I know the answer." Wilson moved across the room and planted himself in a chair. "Have you heard anything?

House just shook his head no.

"Maybe you should have stayed home today." Wilson suggested.

House gave Wilson a smirk. "And why would I do that?" He asked, shrugging his shoulders slightly.

Wilson raised an eyebrow. "Because you obviously didn't get much sleep last night and because you are worried about Cameron."

House leaned back in his chair and let out a long sigh. "I am worried about Cameron, just like everyone else is but it doesn't warrant me to stay home. Cameron is just a colleague."

Wilson cocked his head to the side. "Ri-ight. Cameron's more than _just a colleague_ and you know it. Did you forget the conversation we had last night? The one where you told me that you have feelings for Cameron."

House leaned forward, placing his forearms on his desk and gave Wilson an _'I don't know what your talking about'_ look.

Wilson gave him one of his famous eye rolls. "Look, if you want to play the 'I don't care game' so everyone around here won't know that you care for Cameron, that's fine with me but we both know it's bull. All anyone has to do is take one look at your face and know that you have feelings for her and there's nothing wrong with that. It's okay for people to know you're capable of caring for another human being."

House sighed with annoyance and abruptly stood. He walked to his window and looked out. The gloomy day certainly fit his mood. He fished into his pocket for a vicodin and quickly popped it into his mouth and swallowed. He was angry but not because Wilson or anyone else knew he was worried about Cameron but because he hated waiting and not knowing.

Just then, Cuddy walked in with a file in hand. She could tell by the look Wilson was giving her that maybe this wasn't the best time to talk to House but she proceeded anyway. "I have a case." She said in her authorities voice, trying to sound normal.

"Give it to Foreman. They need something to do." House said before she could tell him anything about the case.

"You need to do your job." She said sternly. "It will help keep your mind off of things."

House shot Cuddy a look. "What is there to keep my mind off of?"

Cuddy looked at Wilson curiously.

"We are playing the denial game." Wilson informed her.

Cuddy lifted her chin. "Nothing new there." She stepped closer. "Well, if there is nothing to keep your mind off of, then you can take this case." She tossed the blue file onto his desk.

House glanced at the file as it landed on a stack of papers. A light tap on his door drew his attention away from the unwanted file.

Cuddy and Wilson also turned to see a tall man standing in the doorway.

House took one look at the man's face and knew he was Cameron's brother.

"I'm looking for Dr. House." Bryan said in a deep voice.

"I'm Dr. House." House answered and began to limp towards Bryan.

Bryan stepped into the office. "I'm Bryan…"

"Cameron's brother." House interrupted.

Wilson and Cuddy were both surprised and watched as House shook Bryan's hand.

"Come in. How was your flight?" House asked.

Bryan gave a slight smile. "It was good, I guess, under the circumstances."

House gave a an understanding nod.

"I wanted to stop by here first to meet you and to also pick up the key to Cameron's apartment, if that's alright?"

House stared at Bryan and couldn't get over how much he looked like Cameron. He had the same green eyes. "Sure." He answered and retrieved a gold key out of his pocket and handed it to Bryan. "Do you know your way to Cameron's place?"

"Yeah. I've been there before." Bryan glanced around House at Wilson and Cuddy.

Wilson saw that Bryan was looking at him and stood to introduce himself. "Hi. I'm James Wilson and this is Lisa Cuddy."

"Hello." Bryan shook Wilson's hand. "Allison has mentioned both of you."

"I'm sorry for what you must be going through right now." Lisa said sincerely.

"Thanks." Bryan answered softly. "I just hope Allison is okay." He looked down at the key he was holding in his hand.

House saw that Bryan was hesitating, like he wanted to say something else.

"You can stick around here for a while, if you want." House suggested trying to figure out what was on Bryan's mind.

"No. I want to get settled. I'm supposed to meet Detective Hodges this afternoon around four." He paused. "I was wondering if you would go with me." Bryan said directly to House.

Wilson and Cuddy watched House for his answer.

House didn't hesitate. "Sure. I can do that. Do you need a ride?"

"No. I'll take a cab."

House nodded. "I'll meet you there."

Bryan was relieved that House agreed to go with him so easily. "Thanks. Is four okay?

"Four works." House confirmed.

"Great. Thanks." Bryan said with some relief. "I guess I better go and get settled." He turned and looked at Wilson and Cuddy. "Nice to meet you."

"If you need anything, please let us know. We care for Cameron, I mean Allison, very much." Lisa said.

"Thanks. I appreciate that." Bryan answered. He said a quick goodbye and left.

As he left the room, House couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with a sense of sadness. _Damn! _He mumbled.

He saw that Wilson and Cuddy were staring at him. "What?" He snapped. "He's Cameron's brother. I had to be nice." He said with sarcasm but Wilson and Cuddy both knew he was down playing the compassion he had shown.

"Give Foreman the case." He told Cuddy again.

Something in his voice made Cuddy decide not to argue this time. She picked up the blue file and made her way to the adjoining room and handed it to Foreman.

House watched while Cuddy explained the contents of the file to Foreman.

Foreman glanced up at House and nodded as if to say he understood.

Wilson stood next to his friend. "Are you okay?"

House sighed. "Not really."


	59. Chapter 59

****************

**Chapter 59**

It was exactly four o'clock when House arrived at the police station. He limped in with his solid, black cane, to find that Bryan was already there.

Bryan walked towards House, relieved that he had showed up. "I got impatient and came early. Thanks for coming."

"You already thanked me." House said and Bryan smiled.

They let the officer at the desk know they were there to meet with Detective Hodges and it was only a few minutes when the aging detective rounded the corner to greet them. Hodges shook both their hands firmly and asked them to follow him to a conference room down the hall. He waited until the two men were in the room before he quietly closed the door and made a motion for them to have a seat at the long table in the middle of the room.

"Can I get either one of you something to drink before we get started?" Hodges asked but both House and Bryan declined the offer.

Hodges sat across from Bryan and House. He opened the brown file he had in his hand and scanned it's contents for a couple of minutes before he began to talk. "Okay, let's see… so far, everyone that the police have interviewed at the apartment complex didn't see or hear anything unusual the morning Dr. Cameron went missing."

House shifted a little uneasily as he heard the word _missing._

"One neighbor who was leaving that morning, remembered seeing her walk to her car and she waved to him as he was pulling out of the parking lot but he didn't see anyone else. The officer that did the morning drive-by also confirmed he had seen Cameron walking to her car but did not see anyone else." Hodges paused as he looked through the pages. "The fingerprints they took from her jeep have all been accounted for."

Bryan cleared his throat and Hodges looked at him over his reading glasses. "Yes Mr. Cameron?"

"Do you know anything? I mean it sounds like you don't have anything."

Hodges laid down the file. "Did your sister discuss Christy Sumner with you?"

Bryan glanced at House and back at detective Hodges. "No. Who is Christy Sumner?"

It was Hodges who shifted in his seat a little uneasily this time. He looked at House first then at Bryan. "Christy Sumner worked for Dr. Cuddy. She was Dr. Cuddy's assistant. She was killed three weeks ago and the killer left a message, a note on her body that was addressed to your sister."

Bryan sat up in is chair. "I don't understand. Were Christy and Allison friends?"

"No. They knew one another from the hospital. However, it would seem that Miss Sumner was a sacrifice of some sort to let Dr. Cameron… Allison, know how much this maniac loves her." Hodges stopped to let Bryan digest what he was saying.

"What kind of monster has my sister, detective?" Bryan asked.

"That's what we are trying to find out son." Hodges answered compassionately.

House looked away and out the window. Listening to the detective explain to Bryan about Christy being a sacrifice and Bryan wanting to know what kind of monster had his sister, was almost too much. He still couldn't get a grip that it was Cameron they were talking about and it was Cameron that he may never see again. Suddenly he heard his name being called and turned his attention back to the two men sitting next to him.

"House, are you okay?" Bryan asked. "Detective Hodges asked if you had any questions so far."

House looked solemnly at Hodges. "Do you have any leads?"

"There may be something with the notes Allison received but I can't give any information on that yet. My guys are still checking on something. And the reason I brought up Christy Sumner is because we have some leads regarding her death which could help us with Allison." He paused and closed the file. "I will tell you that my gut tells me that she's still in the city and that she knows her abductor, which will help us find her faster than if she was with a stranger."

"But you don't know that for sure." House stated.

Hodges stared at him. "No but I have been doing this for twenty seven years and my gut is usually right or close to it. I know it's a lot to ask, especially when I don't have anything concrete to back it up but I'm asking you to trust me on this."

Bryan and House were both silent for a minute.

"Why do you think she's still in the city?" House asked curiously.

"Because this guy has put too much thought into this. He has obviously been keeping tabs on Dr. Cameron for some time now. He knows her habits, where she works and he knew that she knew Christy Sumner. It all ties together somehow. I think he lives here and chances are, he has her with him, maybe where he lives, or close by."

"But how do we find all this out?" Bryan asked.

"We keep digging away at every little thing. It's just a feeling right now, but I think it's someone who has something to do with the hospital. Either he was a patient there or maybe he works there."

"Like a doctor?" Bryan asked surprised.

"Not necessarily a doctor but there are all kinds of people who work in a hospital." Hodges answered.

"What can we do?" Bryan asked.

House noticed that Bryan said the word _we._

"Normally we +ask people to not interfere and let the police do their jobs but obviously, time is of the essence. So, I suggest for you to talk to some of the people at the hospital. See if you can find out anything. Sometimes people warm up to normal people better than they do towards cops and with you being her brother, that might open a few more doors. It's imperative, however, that you keep me posted with everything you find out."

"Absolutely." Bryan answered.

Hodges stood. "Well gentlemen, I don't want to be abrupt but I need to get going." He turned to Bryan. "Are you staying at your sister's apartment?"

"Yes."

"We may need to get back in there."

"Of course. Any time." Bryan answered.

They started to leave the room when House felt Hodges place his hand on his shoulder.

"Dr. House, can I speak with you for a minute?"

Bryan turned to see Hodges pull House back a little and wondered what that was all about. He walked to the end of the hall and waited.

House looked at the detective curiously.

Hodges waited until Bryan was out of ear shot. "I didn't want to ask you in front of Dr. Cameron's brother but what is your relationship with Dr. Cameron?"

House leaned on his cane and pondered the question for a few seconds. "Like I told you before, we work together. She was a student of mine and she just recently took a position in my department."

Hodges smiled slightly as he listened to House try and dodge answering his question. "Were you intimate with one another, Dr. House?"

"Will my answer help find Cameron any faster?" "I need a profile on everyone Dr. House and I haven't really talked to you yet. It's obvious that you care for Dr. Cameron a great deal. Besides, answering my question can eliminate you as a suspect."

"A suspect?"

"Yes. At this point, everyone is a suspect until we get a solid lead. It's a yes or no question Dr. House+. Were you intimate with one another?"

"It's never a yes or no question." House said with one of his famous smirks.

Hodges sighed and stared hard at House.

House took the hint. "Yes, we were intimate." He answered hesitantly. He had never really said it out loud before. "Cameron and I have always… let's just say we have danced around one another for years."

"Were you in a relationship with her when she disappeared?"

"We had an argument a week before and really weren't talking to one another at the time she… disappeared."

Hodges saw the look of sadness cross House's face as he explained the situation between him and Cameron.

"Okay. That's all I wanted to know. If I think of anything else, I'll let you know."

House nodded and started to walk down the hall.

"Dr. House."

House stopped and turned to Hodges again.

"That's a good thing you're doing, helping Dr. Cameron's brother out." Hodges motioned to Bryan at the end of the hall.

House didn't say anything only nodded again and continued down the hall to where Bryan was waiting for him.

As House and Bryan were walking out of the station, Bryan asked House if he was up for something to eat. House really wanted to go home and be alone but agreed to go somewhere for a bite to eat. Bryan waived down a cab and they climbed inside.

"I'll let you pick the place. Any where is fine with me. I just wasn't ready to be alone yet." Bryan paused. "What did Hodges ask you back there?" Bryan asked not sure if it was his business or not but still wanted to know.

House looked at Bryan. "He wanted to know if Cameron and I were… are in a relationship."

Bryan looked away from House and out the window. "What did you say?"

House looked out the opposite window and paused before answering. "Yes."


	60. Chapter 60

****************

**Chapter 60**

House and Bryan decided on a restaurant not too far from the police station. It was small and quiet, which was perfect. Neither one were in the mood to be around a lot of people.

They walked through the door and were greeted by a young, attractive hostess who quickly seated them in a booth towards the back. She handed them their menus, flashed them a smile and walked back to the front of the room to seat another couple that had walked in. Their waiter arrived a few minutes later and both men eagerly ordered a drink.

While waiting for his drink, House scanned the variety of foods on the menu. Not seeing anything appealing, he closed it and laid it to the side.

Bryan studied House for a minute. "Allison would want us to eat."

"Not really hungry." House answered in a low voice.

The waiter interrupted with their drinks.

"A liquid dinner suits me just fine but you go ahead." House said as he picked up his drink and took a long sip.

Bryan closed his menu. "I'll eat if you eat."

House cocked his head to the side and gave Bryan a long look, thinking how much he sounded like Cameron at that moment. He rolled his eyes in fake annoyance. "I suppose I will have a burger then. I don't want you to starve because of me."

Bryan gave a faint smile. "Sounds good to me."

After giving the waiter their order, they sipped on their drinks and engrossed themselves in the silence.

It was Bryan who interrupted the silence first. "After you called last night, so many things went through my head. I couldn't go to sleep. All I could think about was how this could have happened to Allison." He paused, taking another sip of his drink. "Why in the hell didn't she tell me that she was in trouble?" The anger and hurt were evident in his voice.

House heard the heavy emotion in Bryan's voice. "I would assume it was because she didn't want to worry you. That's what Cameron does, isn't it? Always trying to save everyone else while pretending there is nothing wrong with her?"

Bryan laughed a little. "Yep. That's Cameron. She has always been that way… but when she realized how serious it was, she should have called me."

"Everything happened fast. I suppose she thought the whole thing would be over with before anything happened. I think we all thought that." House took another sip of his drink.

"This is insane." Bryan said and rubbed his hand over his tired face.

The waiter sat their food and another round of fresh drinks in front of them.

Bryan continued. "You know my wife Jenny, is about to have our third child. She's due any time."

"Really. I didn't know that." House said surprised.

"Allison didn't tell you?"

House knew that Bryan was trying to figure out how close he was with Cameron. He took a bite of his burger and was surprised at how good it tasted. He watched as Bryan did the same.

Heavy silence hung in the air while the two men continued to eat. House could sense that Bryan wanted to push the issue about him and Cameron a little further. The last thing he wanted to do was open that door. He was not good at sharing his feelings especially when he wasn't sure himself of what he felt but he knew that Bryan needed to talk about it.

"Why don't you just ask me?" House finally said.

"Ask you what?"

"What you really want to know."

Bryan hesitated as he stared at his food. "Alright. Are you in love with my sister?"

House choked on the large bite of food he had in his mouth. That wasn't a question he was expecting. The truth was, he didn't know if he was in love with Cameron. He wasn't even sure he was capable of loving someone.

Bryan saw the perplexed look on House's face. "Are you?"

House cleared his throat. "I don't know." He knew it was a stupid answer but it was the truth.

Bryan narrowed his eyes at House. "_I don't know _isn't an answer."

"It can be." House responded in a snarky tone. He saw the questioning look still on Bryan's face. "It's all I have." He said in a more sincere tone.

"You're sleeping with her, aren't you?"

"Doesn't mean I'm in love with her."

"So, you're just using her so you can sleep with her."

"Call me silly but I'm pretty sure she wanted to sleep with me too." House said in a cool tone.

Bryan leaned back in the booth and sighed heavily.

House laid his half eaten burger on his plate and stared at Bryan. "I'm not using her."

"She's in love with you, you know. Nothing you do will ever change that."

"I'm not a person you love." House admitted.

"So I've heard." Bryan stared hard at House over the rim of his glass. "I really thought she had found a way to move on from you when she started seeing Chase but that didn't go too well either."

"Chase is an idiot."

"To say the least but so are you."

"I'm a bastard."

"You may be but even bastards can love people." Bryan paused. "I know you have feelings for her. I heard it in your voice when you called me last night and I saw it in your face today when we talked to Hodges."

"Why is it so damn important for me to tell you how I feel about Cameron?"

Bryan shook his head. "I don't know. Maybe because you are important to her. Maybe I just need to connect with someone who knows her… who really knows her."

House looked away. The pain in his chest was back. The same crushing pain when he found out Cameron was missing. He sighed heavily. "Cameron has always seen me in a way that no one else has." He paused. "I have pushed her away and hurt her more times than I can count."

"I know."

House was surprised at the comment and wondered how much Cameron had actually shared with her brother. He continued. "I'm not proud that I hurt her."

Bryan looked away this time. "But do you have feelings for her?"

House felt the lump in his throat getting larger and he silently cursed himself for getting emotional. "Yes, I have feelings for her… strong feelings. Stronger than I want them to be."

Bryan knew that House was not a man to share his feelings and that the conversation was difficult for him. Suddenly, Bryan couldn't stop the emotion that filled his eyes. "We have to find her."

House saw the tears but kept silent. He didn't want his own emotions to become more apparent than they already were.

Both men were ready for the conversation to stop.

"I'm suddenly exhausted. How about we call it a night?" Bryan said as he pushed a half eaten burger to the side. He pulled out his wallet to retrieve his credit card when House tossed a fifty on the table, completely surprising him.

House didn't miss the look. "In spite of what your sister may have told you, I do pay my way every now and then."

An amusing smile crossed Bryan's face. "Thanks."

After paying, they stepped outside and waited for a cab, both lost in their own thoughts.

The first cab pulled up and House nodded to Bryan. "You take it. I'll catch the next one."

"Are you sure? We can share this one." Bryan suggested.

"You go ahead. I feel like traveling alone."

Bryan understood and started to climb into the cab. "Thanks for tonight." He said quietly.

House gave Bryan a little nod. "We'll talk tomorrow. Get some rest."

As House watched the cab pull away, he couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sadness as the yellow cab carried Bryan away.

A short time later, House walked into his dark apartment. He looked over at his trusted friend and the desire to touch her ivory keys were now just a distant thought. Not bothering to turn on any lights, he slowly limped to his bedroom, removed his shirt and jeans and sat down on the side of the bed. The pain in his leg was intense. He had managed to ignore it earlier but now it was too much. He quickly downed a couple of pills before climbing in between the cold sheets. He stared at the ceiling, thinking about what Bryan had asked him. Was he in love with Cameron? He asked himself. And if he was, would he ever allow himself to admit it? The last thing he wanted or needed in his life was to be in love with someone.

He rolled onto his side, cursing all the thoughts in his head and the pain in his chest, that wouldn't go away. Could the ache in his chest actually be his heart breaking? He wondered but knew that was an idiotic thought. A heart couldn't really break… or could it?

_Damn it! _He mumbled and angrily flung the covers off his body and limped into the other room. He poured a little scotch into a crystal glass sitting on the counter and took a sip, enjoying the burning sensation as it trickled down his throat. He turned and stared at the black beauty before him, luring him with her elegance, as if she knew he was troubled. He slowly moved to the bench and sat down. The desire to touch her was too much to resist and he placed his hands on her ivory keys and began to play. As the notes filled the quiet room, a peace filled him for the first time in days. He closed his eyes and cursed the woman who had somehow captured his heart. He hated that he wanted her but most of all, he hated that he needed her. If there was a God, why would he do this? Let him find love, only to take it away and leave him cold and empty once again? Worse, why would he put Cameron through this? What had she done to deserve such a fate? The questions continued to run through House's head and he pounded the ivory keys harder, trying to block the thoughts. He didn't want to think any more. It hurt too much. He needed peace. He breathed in deeply and let the music fill his soul once again, trying not to think but… a small, small voice in the back of his head continued to speak. House couldn't deny the voice and prayed that he would one day soon, hold the woman who was consuming his every thought, in his arms again.


	61. Chapter 61

****************

**Chapter 61**

House pressed his forehead against the cold glass of his office window and stared out across the city. The glow of twinkling lights were beginning to fill the evening sky and all he could think about at that moment was how everything appeared so normal on the outside but was so cold and empty on the inside.

It had been five days since Cameron had disappeared and there was still no word or clues to where she could be. House was trying to be patient but to him, the world seemed to be moving in slow motion and he desperately needed to hear some news, any news, that would renew his hope.

By now, news of Cameron's disappearance had spread throughout the hospital and naturally, it was the topic of everyones conversation. House ignored the whispers and the hidden stares from the people around him. He was used to being the source of rumors. He lived to cause havoc throughout the hospital but this was different… this was real and it felt like an open wound that wouldn't heal.

He knew he needed to pull himself away from the pain and do something constructive. His team was having problems diagnosing the case Cuddy had given them a few days ago and they needed his help but he just couldn't find the energy to make his brain work.

He stepped back and rubbed his tired face and turned his attention to the blue file on his desk. He reluctantly picked it up and started studying the contents. He ruffled through the pages, looking at the treatments and drugs that had been given so far, only to have the patient fall into a coma. He knew he had to step in or they would lose their patient. With the file in hand, he limped into the empty adjoining room and stood in front of the white board full of information. He began to erase everything that hadn't worked. He became so involved with the file, he didn't notice when his entire team had walked in. He was startled when he turned to find them sitting behind him.

"You guys are as quiet as church mice."

The four ducklings had been surprised, to say the least, to see their boss writing on the board when they walked in. However, no one wanted to interrupt because all four members were relieved, even though no one would ever admit it, to have help from House.

House stepped back and stared at the board. "Okay. Let's play."

It wasn't long before the room was filled with arguments and new ideas. House stood back and listened. After an hour or so, new tests and procedures was agreed upon once again. The team left with a heavy weight lifted off of their shoulders and a more positive outlook on the situation.

The room grew quiet again. House laid down the marker and stepped over to pour a cup of coffee that was no doubt thick and stale. As he took a sip of the black liquid, he had to admit, it felt good to think of something other than Cameron. Suddenly his phone went off and he flipped it open to see that it was Bryan who was calling.

"What." He answered in a quick voice.

"Dr. House, this is Bryan Cameron."

House could careless about the formalities. He just wanted to know why Bryan was calling. "Did you hear something?"

"Not about Allison. It's my wife." Bryan answered in a distraught voice. "She has gone into labor."

House let out the breath he realized he was holding. "And you need to leave."

"Yes." Bryan answered painfully.

House understood Bryan's pain. "Allison would want you to go." He knew this to be true. Cameron would definitely want her brother to be with his wife during the birth of their child.

There was a long pause on the other end. Bryan was surprised to hear House call his sister by her first name. "I know." (pause) "You will call me as soon as you hear something."

"I will."

"I don't know when I will be able to return. Let's hope when I do it's because we have found her."

House remained silent.

Bryan continued. "Look, I wasn't sure what to expect when I first came here to meet you but I know now you're a good person. That is why Allison is so drawn to you. It gives me some peace to know you are here for her."

A small smile crossed House's lips. "Cameron sometimes sees things that aren't really there."

Bryan smiled. "That may be true but in your case, she's right. Thanks for everything House."*

House was at a loss for words. "Have a safe flight." He said awkwardly, not really knowing what else to say.

"I will. Talk to you soon."

House heard the phone go silent on the other end and a sinking feeling instantly came over him. As if Bryan leaving meant Cameron would never be found but he knew that it was foolish to think that. Nevertheless, he couldn't stop the feeling.

He pulled out the familiar orange vile from his pocket and popped a white pill into his mouth. He limped back into his office and sat down behind his desk. He found himself in the same predicament he was in an hour ago - thinking about Cameron. Maybe checking his emails would take his mind off of things. He turned to his computer when Wilson suddenly burst into his office.

"House!" Wilson said in a rushed tone. "I just thought of something."

Something in Wilson's voice made House stop what he was doing and look up. He leaned back in his chair and waited for Wilson to continue.

"About three weeks ago, I bumped into Cameron down stairs and she had an odd look on her face. I asked her if there was something wrong and she said she just had a strange conversation with that security guard, I don't remember his name but the one she sometimes talks to."

House leaned forward. "What was so strange about their conversation?"

"She said that he had asked her if she was involved with you again."

House continued to stare blankly at Wilson.

"Cameron thought it was odd that he asked her about you and something in the way he asked her, made her feel uncomfortable. I mean, think about it. Why would he ask her that? Doesn't that seem strange?"

House thought for a minute. "Maybe. Which security guard was it?"

Wilson blew out a long stream of air trying to make his brain remember. "I don't know. She has coffee with him in the cafeteria every now and then."

House rubbed his unshaven chin. "I know who he is." He stood and pulled out his phone and began punching in numbers.

Wilson looked on curiously. "Who are you calling?"

"Hodges."


	62. Chapter 62

****************

**Chapter 62**

House waited patiently for Detective Hodges to answer his phone. Just when he thought it was going to go to voice mail, a not so happy voice answered.

"Hodges here."

"This is House."

"House. What's up?" Hodges was trying to talk with the phone tucked under his chin while trying to put on his coat.

House proceeded to tell Hodges of what Wilson had remembered.

Hodges glanced at his watch to see it was almost six p.m. "Do you know this guy's name?"

House sighed. "No but I know what he looks like. He's one of the main security guys. Cuddy would know."

"Is he working now?"

House rolled his eyes. "How would I know? Call Cuddy."

"Okay. I'll call Doctor Cuddy and get this guys name. I'll be in touch." He hung up before House could say anything else.

Wilson saw House looking at his phone. "What did he say?"

"He thinks it could be something. Lets go see Cuddy."

*********

Hodges had been trying to get out of the office for some time now to run an errand. His wife's birthday was tomorrow and he needed to stop by the jewelers, which closes at six, to pick up the necklace he had made for her. If he didn't pick it up tonight, he would be screwed because they were closed tomorrow. However, every time he tried to sneak out, something or someone would stop him. So here he was again, just about to slip out the door when a female voice sitting at the front desk caught his attention.

"Detective Hodges."

He stopped and sighed. He slowly turned to find a young, attractive female police officer waiting for him to give her his attention.

"Are you new?" He asked.

She gave him a big smile. "Today is my first day."

"You have something for me?" He asked as he stepped closer towards the tall desk.

"Yes. You have two messages from an Elizabeth Johnson." She handed him the two pink slips of paper.

Hodges looked at the two papers and read the name and number, neither one ringing a bell. It was blank at the bottom where it noted what the call was referencing. Just as he started to ask the young policewoman if she knew why Elizabeth Johnson was calling, her attention was drawn towards a loud mouth perp that was being brought in. Hodges was not in the mood to wait any longer. So, he stuffed the papers into his pocket and made a mental note to call in and ask her later. He nodded towards a fellow officer and walked out the door to his car.

Twenty minutes later, he was pulling into the parking lot of the jewelers when he remembered that he was supposed to call Doctor Cuddy. _Shit! _He mumbled under his breath. He parked and quickly dialed Cuddy's cell number.

*********

When House and Wilson reached Cuddy's office, they found her packing her things up to leave for the night.

Lisa took one look at their faces and instantly became alarmed. "Oh God. What's happened?"

House stepped forward. "Has Hodges called you yet?"

Lisa was instantly alarmed. "No. Why?"

"Because he needs the name of one of your security guys."

"Why? Which one?"

House motioned towards Wilson. "Wilson remembered a conversation between Cameron and that security guy she sometimes talks to and Hodges needs his name."

"That would be Steven Mayer." Lisa answered. "But Hodges hasn't called me."

"Damn it! What the hell is taking him so long?!" House said with agitation.

Wilson tried to calm House. "This isn't the only case he's working on." As soon as the words came out of his mouth, he regretted them. Not to mention the look House was giving him. "Sorry."

House turned back to Cuddy. "Call Hodges."

"O-Okay." She stammered and pulled out her phone. Just as she was about to dial the number, her phone rang. She looked at her phone, then at House. "It's Hodges."

*********

Hodge got the information he needed from Cuddy and then continued into the jewelers to pick up his wife's necklace. As he was waiting, his phone rang. It was the station. He sighed heavily and answered.

"Hodges here."

"Detective Hodges?"

Hodges recognized the voice on the other end to be the young policewoman he had met earlier.

"Yes?" He answered annoyed.

"I have Elizabeth Johnson again on the other line and she is being very persistent that she speaks with you immediately. Can I patch her through to you?"

"Go ahead." He answered with annoyance. While he waited for the call to come through, the sales lady handed him his reciept and a small package, nicely wrapped in shiny white paper with a pink bow. He was pleased. A minute later, as he was getting into his car, an older woman's voice began to speak.

"Hello? Is this Detective Hodges?" She asked.

"Yes it is." "Thank goodness. I have been trying to reach you for hours. You _are_ the detective that is investigating Doctor Cameron's disappearance?"

Hodges mouth went dry. "Yes I am. Why do you ask?" "I believe I may have some information that may help you. I have been on a cruise for the past couple of weeks and didn't know anything had happened to that sweet girl Allison. She and I are neighbors." (pause) "Anyway, you can imagine my horror when I returned and read the paper about her disappearance. I was absolutely mortified. Then I remembered on the morning I left, I was watching out my window for my cab, which over looks the side parking lot where Allison usually parks and I saw Allison talking to a man that morning, which was the same morning she disappeared. I didn't get a good look at him. It was mainly the side of his face but I can describe what I saw. I have a very good memory."

Hodges was about to do back flips. He didn't care that Elizabeth Johnson didn't get a good look. It was something to go on.

Elizabeth was waiting for the detective to speak. "Detective Hodges? Are you still there?"

"Yes - yes. Mrs. Johnson, can my partner and I stop by this evening? I have a picture I would like to show you."

"Of course."

"Would an hour be too soon?"

"That will be fine. I will see you then. Bye detective."

Hodges instantly called his partner.

"Waters here." The younger detective answered.

"Waters. I need you to run a name through the data base and also print his photo."

"Okay. Where are you anyway?"

"I had an errand to run and I'm on my way back to the station. The name is Steven Mayer - m-a-y-e-r." Hodges spelled out the last name.

"Steven Mayer." Waters repeated the name as he wrote it down on a piece of paper. "Got it."

"We may have just been given a break in Doctor Cameron's case. I'll be there in ten."

Waters hung up his phone and proceeded to punch Steven Mayer's name into the data base while Hodges raced through the streets to the station.

*********

Wilson looked at House who was still sitting on Cuddy's couch. He glanced at Lisa who was putting on her coat to leave. "I'm hungry." He suddenly said. "How about the three of us grabbing a bite to eat?"

Lisa looked at Wilson to see that he was giving her a worried look. She glanced at House who was staring blankly across the room. "That sounds good. I could use something to eat, especially a drink." She lied. The last thing on her mind was eating and suspected the same was for Wilson but they needed to occupy House. She walked around her desk and waited for House to answer.

House didn't have to look at his two friends to know they were staring at him. "You aren't hungry. You just want to babysit me."

"No, I'm really hungry." Wilson said more firmly this time.

House stood. "Well, I'm not. I'm going to go see if my team has killed their patient." Lisa sighed. "That is not funny."

Wilson stopped House before he walked out. "House, we are worried too. Why don't we at least grab a drink together and wait to see if we hear any news from Hodges?"

House let out a long breath. "I'll get my things and meet you in the lobby."

Wilson and Lisa watched him limp out.

"Is he alright?" Lisa asked concerned.

"No. Not really but it's House. What are you going to do? Haven't you talked to him?" "No. I don't know what to say and if I do say something he will just make light of it. I know he's hurting. Do you think he's really in love with Cameron?"

Wilson gave a little laugh. "If you ask him, he'll say he's not but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that he is."

"I've known him for a very long time and I have never seen him act this way about anyone."

Wilson looked at Lisa. "Are you okay with that?"

Wilson's question caught her off guard. "What do you mean?"

He stepped a little closer. "I know you have had feelings for House for a very long time. Are you okay with him being in love with Cameron?"

Lisa smiled. "I have to be, don't I."

Wilson looked away, wondering if Lisa was still in love with House.

Lisa saw the look and knew what Wilson was thinking. "I don't know if I was ever _in_ love with House. I cared for him deeply… maybe I was… but I think I was more in love with a fantasy. Ever since we had that thing in college, I have always wondered _what if_? But House is a difficult man to love. There is so much you have to deal with if you want him in your life. I just don't think I want that in my life and it took a while for me to understand that. I love him dearly as a friend but I don't love him."

"Sometimes we don't get to choose what our heart wants."

"James, I'm not in love with House and it's clear that he's not in love with me."

They stood in silence for a minute.

"I'm going to go lock up my office and make sure he hasn't slipped out." Wilson said awkwardly. "Okay. I'll be in the lobby waiting." Lisa answered. "James."

"Yes?"

"He's lucky to have you as his friend."

"He's lucky to have both of us." He said and quickly made his exit.


	63. Chapter 63

***************

**Chapter 63**

Waters and Hodges stood outside Elizabeth Johnson's door, waiting patiently for her to answer.

"I hope this lady is the real deal." Waters thought out loud.

Hodges looked at his partner curiously. "Why wouldn't she be?"

Just then the door opened, revealing a surprisingly attractive older woman, dressed in a dark purple dress. Her hair was silver in color and piled loosely on top of her head. The years had been kind to her.

As she greeted the two men, Hodges noticed that her eyes sparkled when she smiled.

"Thank you for coming to my apartment detectives. I'm fully aware that you could have made me go to the station rather than you coming here." She said as she motioned for them to come in. "Please have a seat."

Waters sat on the elegant sofa, while Hodges chose to stand.

"Well Mrs. Johnson, it is Mrs., isn't it?" Hodges asked.

"My husband passed away over ten years ago but I still go by _Mrs_."

"As I was saying, it will be necessary for you to come into the station and give a more formal statement and description but that can be done tomorrow. Right now, my partner and I would like for you to tell us what you saw on the morning Doctor Cameron went missing."

"Very well." She proceeded to tell the detectives her story, as Waters wrote everything down in his little notebook. When it came to giving the description, she stopped. "I'm afraid I only saw the man from the side. He did turn slightly towards me but only for a second but my eyesight is impeccable at my age. I was standing at that window." She pointed to her living room window that over looked the side parking lot.

Hodges stepped over and looked out. He saw that there was not any trees blocking her view and she would have had a direct view of Cameron's car. He turned back towards Mrs. Johnson.

"Please give us the description Mrs. Johnson." Waters said.

Elizabeth proceeded. After she was done Hodges walked over and removed the photo of Steven Mayer from the file he was holding.

"Could this be the man you saw?"

Elizabeth took the photo and moved towards the light. She studied it for a few minutes before speaking.

Hodges and Waters waited patiently.

"It could be. I wish I knew how tall this man was but I think it could be him."

Hodges sighed a sigh of relief. That's all he needed to hear. He took the photo from Elizabeth. "Thank you Mrs. Johnson. You have been a big help."

"Do you think you will find Allison? She is such a sweet girl." "We are doing are best. Either myself or my partner will call you tomorrow and set up a time for you to come in."

Hodges walked towards the door where his partner was already standing, looking at his watch.

"Afternoon would be best detective. I already have several morning appointments."

Hodges nodded and smiled. "Thank you again for your help." He said and out the door they went.

Once in the car, Waters turned to Hodges. "Do you think Mayer is our guy?"

"I think it's a good possibility. Hopefully we will know more when we talk to him."

"What if he isn't home?"

"Then we wait."

*********

Steven Mayer had had a very long day and was thankful when he finally walked through his front door for the evening. He had too much on his mind and concentrating on every day things was almost too much. His plan was moving much slower than what he wanted but he knew if he didn't take things slowly, it could possibly raise red flags in his direction and he wanted to make sure that when he did take Allison and leave, no one would be the wiser.

He sat the brown bag on the counter and tossed his coat onto a kitchen chair. He stepped into the living room and turned on the TV and kicked off his shoes. Normally, he would change clothes before going to see Allison but he was hungry and for some reason was more anxious to see his prized beauty than he normally was. He went into the small dining room and pulled up the heavy rug to reveal the small door in the floor.

Cameron's eyes fluttered open when she heard the familiar creaking of the floor above her and she wondered how long she had been asleep. She could tell that is was dark outside but she had no idea what time it was.

She slowly sat up and began to shiver from the coolness of the room. She remained motionless for a moment, relieved that the dizziness she had been feeling most of the day had subsided but now she was sick at her stomach. She was sure it was from not eating, since she had barely eaten anything since her nightmare had begun.

The loud creaking above caught her attention again and she listened as the man who had taken her life away as she once knew it, opened the door in the ceiling. Cameron watched as her captor slowly made his way down the wooden stairs and crossed the room to stand in front of her once again.

Steven let his eyes roam over Allison's delicate body. She was so beautiful and he couldn't wait until his hands touched every inch of her. He licked the drool from the sides of his mouth.

Cameron cringed as she watched Steven's eyes traveled up and down her body. She wanted to scream at him, to scratch his eyes out, to hurt him as much as he had hurt her but the last thing she wanted to do was push him over the edge… so she remained silent and waited for him to speak first. She watched has he moved slowly towards her. He plopped down on the mattress next to her, startling her. He reeked of stale cigarette smoke, causing her to gag. However, he didn't seem to care that his nearness made her sick.

"I brought home some sandwiches. Are you hungry?" He asked.

Cameron wanted to spit in his face and say no but she knew she needed to eat. "Yes." She forced the word out of her mouth.

"Good. I'll bring them down and we can eat together." He said eagerly.

Cameron made an effort to smile, knowing that if she didn't try to be pleasant, it would make him angry.

Steven continued to sit next to her, staring across the cement floor. "After dinner, we need to get you cleaned up some."

Cameron froze. "What are you talking about?"

Steven snickered. "Well, it has been several days since you've had a bath."

Cameron felt a knot form in the pit of her stomach. The last thing she wanted to do was undress in front of this monster and she needed to think of something to make him change his mind. "I don't have any clean clothes. Maybe we should wait until…"

Steven stopped her. "I stopped by a department store on the way home and picked up a few things; some shampoo, soap and some clothes."

It sickened Cameron to think of Steven shopping for her. The knot in her stomach was becoming harder and she was starting to shake but Steven didn't seem to notice. All of a sudden, he reached across her and grabbed her arm with the heavy metal attached to it.

He studied her arm and saw that her wrist was severely bruised and swollen. "I suppose we need to take this off for a while. I can't have you too damaged." He snickered again.

Cameron pulled her hand free from his.

Steven ignored her move. "So, since I'm in such a good mood, I'll take this off while we eat and if you are a good girl, I'll leave it off while you clean yourself up. I'll bring down some soap and water and you can take a sponge bath." He said with a wicked smile and reached up to touch a strand of her hair that had fallen across her face.

Cameron instantly pulled away. This time, anger filled Steven but he restrained himself. He leaned in closer, his hot breath on her face, causing her to choke. "Oh my sweet, sweet Allison. So much for you to learn. There will be a day when you will ache for my touch."

Cameron knew she would never want him to touch her and would rather die than to have him do so.

Steven abruptly stood and began to walk back towards the stairs. "Don't worry. I'll give you your privacy when you bathe… as long as you are good."

Cameron could hear him laugh a low, lusty laugh as he climbed back up the stairs and disgust filled her. She didn't trust him and the thought of undressing with him near, terrified her. She laid down on her side and squeezed her eyes shut, praying she would wake up from the hellish dream she was in… but she knew the dream was real and when she opened her eyes, she would still be in the same horrible place.


	64. Chapter 64

****************

**Chapter 64**

Hodges and Waters pulled into Steven Mayer's driveway and parked behind the small truck.

"Looks like someones home." Waters said, noticing the lights on in the house.

Hodges quickly got out of the car and was practically sprinting across the yard.

"Hey Lone Ranger. Wait up." Waters said as hurried to catch up. "What's the hurry?"

"I just don't have a good feeling about this guy. My gut is just aching." Hodges answered.

"You and your gut." Waters said amusingly but knew that his partner's gut feelings were usually right on.

Hodges anxiously rang the doorbell that was positioned just to the right of the blue door.

Steven was just about to carry the sandwiches down to the basement when his doorbell rang. He froze. He wasn't expecting anyone and the last thing he wanted or needed was someone snooping around. Doing his best to not make any noise, he made his way to the window in the living room and carefully looked out to find a dark colored car parked in his driveway. However, he couldn't see who was it was standing at his door without them seeing him. He stepped back and waited, hoping that whoever felt the need to disturb him would give up and go away.

It had only been a few seconds since he rang the bell but Hodges was growing impatient. He was cold and very anxious. _C'mon you jerk. Answer your damn door,_ he said under his breath.

Waters gave Hodges a sideways glance, knowing very well of his partner's impatience. "Give him a minute. Maybe he's in the bathroom."

Hodges gave his partner a smirk. "I'm bettin' he doesn't want to open his door."

Hodges rang the doorbell again but this time, he opened the outer door and pounded on the wooden door.

_Damn it! _Steven muttered as the intruder continued to pound on his door. It was apparent that whoever was out there was not going to go away. He sighed heavily and reached over and unlocked the two deadbolts and slowly opened his door. His breath caught in his throat when he saw who was standing on his porch. He instantly recognized the two detectives. They had been wondering around the hospital all week, asking questions about Allison. He regained his composer and managed to put a fake smile on his face as he greeted the two men in dark suits.

"Hello." Steven said.

Hodges and Waters pulled out their Id's and let them fall open, giving Steven a full view of their identities.

"Are you Steven Mayer?" Hodges asked in his best detective voice.

Steven pretended to study the Id's while he answered. "Yes, I am. Can I help you?"

"May we come in Mr. Mayer?"

Steven shrugged, ignoring the question. "What is this about?"

Hodges gave his partner a sideways glance when Steven didn't willingly invite them in. He tucked his badge back into the inside pocket of his jacket. "Do you know a Doctor Cameron?"

Steven suddenly heard a muffled sound coming from his basement, drawing his attention from the older detective. Allison was screaming and if he could hear her, there was a very good possibility the two detectives could hear her. He stepped a little further out the door, pulling the front door closer to his body. His thoughts were starting to go around in circles and he didn't hear what the detective had asked him.

Hodges was waiting for Steven Mayer to answer him. "Is something wrong Mr. Mayer?"

Steven caught himself. "I'm sorry. What did you ask?"

"I asked if you know Doctor Cameron."

"Sure - sure. She's a doctor at the hospital I work at… but I don't _know_ her." Steven answered, hoping his voice didn't betray him and give way to the nervousness he was definitely feeling.

"Are you aware that Doctor Cameron is missing?" Hodges continued.

"Of course. Who isn't? It's all the hospital is talking about. Why?"

Hodges continued to ask questions while Waters wrote everything down in his little notebook.

Steven watched as the younger detective continued to write in his little notebook and wondered if this was a tactic to unnerve him. If it was, it was working. He could still hear Allison's cries and beads of sweat were beginning to form at his brow. He subconsciously started to switch his weight back and forth from one leg to the other.

Hodges gave Waters a glance to see if his partner noticed Steven's uneasiness.

"Mr. Mayer, we have reason to believe that you were seen with Doctor Cameron on the morning she disappeared." Hodges said, watching Steven's reaction closely.

Steven's breath caught in his throat. He had been very careful to not let anyone see him with Allison that morning and quickly decided that the older detective was lying.

"No - no. I haven't spoken to Alli---" Steven stopped himself. "Um Doctor Cameron in quite a while."

Waters quickly caught the slip. "Excuse me. Were just about to call Doctor Cameron by her first name?"

Steven looked at the young detective with a bewildered look on his face. "No. I don't know Doctor Cameron's first name detective."

"Really? Because I could have sworn you were just about to call her Allison."

Steven let out a fake laugh. "Is that her name?"

"Mr. Mayer, would you be willing to come down to the station and answer some more questions? It's really cold out here and it's apparent you don't want us to come inside." Hodges butted in.

Steven was becoming very agitated at the two men and their nettling questions.

No, I don't really want to go down to the station and continue this. It's been a long day and I don't feel well. I would like to eat my dinner and go to bed. So, unless you have anything else, I'm going back inside."

Hodges and Waters were amused at Steven's agitation. It was clear they had hit a nerve but unless they could dig up something solid, there was no way a judge was going to issue a search warrant for his house.

"Well, there are a few more questions I would like to ask you and it would be a lot easier if you would willingly come down to the station and clear all this up. It wouldn't take too long." Hodges urged again. "You must understand that there is a woman missing and you may know something that will help us find her."

"I told you detective, I don't know anything." Steven said through gritted teeth. The older detective was really starting to piss him off. "Whoever said they saw me with her, was mistaken. Now, I'm going to go back inside."

Just as Steven was about to close the door, Hodges put his foot in the way. The anger was evident in Steven's eyes as he glared at the older detective.

Hodges held his card out to Steven. "Please take my card. You know, incase you think of something. You never know." Hodges said with a big annoying grin.

Steven reluctantly took the card and slammed the door.

Hodges and Waters looked at one another for a minute, oblivious that the person they were looking for was only a few feet away, her cries unheard.

They proceeded down the sidewalk.

"What do you think?" Waters asked his partner.

"I don't like this guy."

"I don't either." Waters agreed.

"Did you see how pissed off he was getting?" Hodges asked as they got back into the car.

"Yeah, something is up. Too bad the judge wouldn't grant a warrant based on your gut."

Hodges let out a little laugh. "I think we need to go back to the station and switch to your car and watch him tonight."

"Sounds like a plan to me."

The two men got into the car and quickly headed towards the station.

*********

Steven watched as the two detectives drove down the street. He stood in the middle of his living room wondering what or who led the two assholes to his doorstep. He had been careful to not leave any clues. Everything had been carefully planned. And now someone was trying to fuck everything up.

The anger was building inside of him and he began to pace heavily across the floor. _Son of a bitch! _He yelled. Suddenly, he remembered Allison and anger was quickly replaced with betrayal. He couldn't understand why she would want to betray him like that and he knew he had to teach her a lesson, something he didn't want to do but had to do.

Cameron fell to her knees when she heard the front door close. Her body ached with exhaustion and all she could think about was that she was never going to get out of the hell hole she had been dumped into. Steven's ranting and pacing above her gave her indication that he was not happy with her screams for help. She watched helplessly as the small opening in the ceiling opened once more. She slowly stood, ready to face her captor.

Steven made his way down the stairs, his breathing was heavy with anger. He turned to face his beloved Allison, still not understanding how she could betray him. He stood only a few feet in front of her and stared at her with dark eyes.

Cameron's breath caught in her chest when she saw the look in Steven's eyes and for a moment, she wondered if she had pushed him too far. His eyes were cold and unfeeling, as if he wasn't human any more. His nostrils flared outward with every breath and he kept clenching and unclenching his fists that were held at his sides. She subconsciously took a few steps backwards, unsure of what he was going to do.

Steven saw the fear in Allison's eyes and it pleased him. At that moment, he didn't care if she loved him or not, he wanted her to fear him. It was the only way he was ever going to control her. He began to walk towards her, his excitement growing with every step. He reached out and grabbed her arm, preventing her to move away from him.

A small yelp escaped Cameron's mouth as she felt Steven's finger dig into her delicate flesh.

"What's the matter my sweet Allison? Afraid? You should have kept your mouth shut. You can't do things like that and not be punished."

The word _please_ tumbled from Cameron's mouth but Steven didn't care. Her fear only excited him more.

"You are an ungrateful bitch!" Steven spat the words in her face.

No sooner had he said the words when Cameron felt his fist collide with the side of her face. She felt his grip loosen on her arm causing her to stumble backwards until she fell hard onto the floor, knocking the breath out of her. The pain in her head was excruciating. She looked up to find Steven standing over her.

"Stand up you bitch!" He screamed as he grabbed her and yanked her to her feet.

Cameron barely had time to catch her breath when he reared back and hit her again, harder than the first time. A blinding light filled her head and she stumbled again. She placed her free hand behind her, trying to soften her fall but when all her weight landed on her hand, she heard her wrist snap. She screamed as her body shook in pain and a few seconds later, darkness engulfed her.

Steven stared at her lifeless body. He watched as a small trickle of blood ran out of one side of her nose and it intrigued him that he felt no remorse, only satisfaction. He hadn't wanted to hurt her like that but she had given him no choice.

He walked around her body and wasn't exactly sure what happened next but somehow, his legs became entangled in the chain. He tried to keep his balance but he stumbled and fell forward, slamming the front of his head into the steal beam in the middle of the room. The blow stunned him, causing him to fall to the floor. He attempted to get up but the blow was too much and everything in the room went black.


	65. Chapter 65

**Chapter 65**

While weaving through the busy streets to the station, Hodges pulled out his phone and dialed the familiar number.

Waters glanced at his partner. "Who are you calling?"

"House."

"Think that's a good idea? We don't need him getting in the way."

Just as Hodges was going to give an explanation, House answered on the second ring.

"This is House." A tired but anxious voice answered.

"House, this is Detective Hodges."

"What did you find out?" .

Lisa and Wilson listened in.

"We may have a break in the case." Hodges said.

House sat forward, hope filling his head again. "What kind of break?"

"A lady who lives in the same complex as Allison saw a man talking to Allison the morning she disappeared."

"Why is this woman just _now_ telling you this?"

"She was on a cruise and didn't know what had happened. I showed her a picture of Mayer and she said it could be him."

"Could be?"

"She only saw one side of the man's face and isn't completely positive it was Mayer."

House sighed heavily. "Did you talk to Mayer?"

"Yes."

"And?" House asked frustrated.

"There's definitely something not right with the man but I can't arrest him on a feeling. However, I'm going to bring Mayer in for a line up and this should clear the way for a warrant."

"So this is good?" House asked with some enthusiasm.

"Maybe. You have to remember, this woman only saw one side of his face and can't say with certainty it's Mayer. Any lawyer worth their salt will get it thrown out."

"Then what good is the line up?" House snapped.

Hodges could hear the frustration in House's voice. "Look, I have been doing this a long time. I'll find a way to get a warrant to search Mayer's house. Trust me on this."

House heard what Hodges was telling him but it didn't help. All hope he had a few moments ago was gone.

"In the mean time, Cameron is still missing." House said more to himself than to Hodges. He was tired and he was through talking.

Hodges understood the silence on the other end. He had dealt with enough cases like this to know what people were feeling or thinking before they knew themselves.

"I'll call you as soon as we get that warrant. In the mean time," Hodges continued. "Don't go near Mayer. I don't need anything to screw this up."

House paused. It was as if Hodges had read his thoughts. "I understand."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow." Hodges said and hung up his end.

House closed his phone and placed it back in his pocket.

"What did he say?" Wilson immediately asked.

House nodded. "There's an eyewitness."

Wilson and Lisa glanced at each other. "That's great!" Wilson said.

"Maybe not."

"Why?" Lisa asked.

"Because she only saw one side of the guy's face and isn't completely sure it was Mayer."

"So, what now?" Wilson asked.

House took a sip of his drink and conveyed everything Hodges had just told him, except for the part where he was told to stay away from Mayer. He wasn't going to promise anything. A few minutes later, he excused himself and stepped away to give Cameron's brother a call.

Hodges and Waters quickly updated their captain and got an okay for a line up for Elizabeth Johnson. A short time later, they were in Water's car heading back to Steven Mayer's house.

"I'm stopping for coffee before we park ourselves in front of Mayer's house for the night." Waters said.

"I'll even buy you a box of donuts so you won't go hungry." Hodges said with humor.

"Oh honey, you are too good to me." Waters said, laughing.

Half hour later, they slowly past Mayer's house. His truck was still in the driveway and lights were still on inside.

"Looks like he's still there. Where do you think we should park?" Waters asked.

"A couple of house's back should work."

Waters drove around the block and stopped three house back where they had a perfect view of Mayer's house.


	66. Chapter 66

**Chapter 66**

Cameron slowly opened her eyes. Her body ached from the heavy blows Steven had inflicted upon her only a short time ago. It was a miracle he hadn't killed her. She knew that the longer she remained with him, her death would be inevitable.

She needed to clear her head and think about what her next step of action should be… if there was even one take. The thought of moving was agonizing but the floor was hard and cold and the thin mattress she had grown accustom to over the past several days, actually sounded appealing at the moment. As she tried to sit up, a sharp pain shot up her arm causing a tiny cry to escape her lips. She laid back down on the floor, remembering that she had used her left hand to break her fall causing her wrist to break. She had no idea how bad the break was but she could still move her fingers, which was a good sign.

As she was trying to sit up again, a cold chill swept across her skin and she was suddenly aware of a presence beside her. She slowly turned her head to find herself staring into the face of Steven Mayer. Fear instantly consumed her. His eyes were closed and there was dried blood caked down his forehead and across his nose. It took a moment for Cameron to realize that he was unconscious. She was trying to comprehend the situation as to why he was laying on the floor next to her because the last thing she remembered was him standing over her before she passed out.

Careful not to put any pressure on her broken hand, she moved her body around, discovering that Steven's feet were tangled up in the chain that was still attached to her. It was then she realized that he must have tripped and fell against the metal beam, knocking himself out. She actually had to stifle a giggle at the thought of him doing this. However, survival instincts quickly kicked in, knowing that this might be her only time to find a way to escape. She began to access the situation and looked around the dark room, letting her eyes travel up the stairs to see that the small door in the ceiling was still open, then falling on Steven again. She stared at him for a long time, watching, making sure he was really unconscious. She knew he wouldn't stay that way for long and whatever decision she was about to make, had to be quick.

Desperation began to sit in as she searched for a way to free herself. There had to be something, she thought… a way… then it occurred to her. Steven still had on his work clothes and he usually carried his keys with him. A shot of hope shot through Cameron as she scooted across the floor towards him, praying that the keys were in his pocket and the key to unlock the shackle would be one of those keys. Steven was laying on his stomach, making the effort to search his pockets very difficult, especially with a broken wrist. At first, she tried searching with one hand but soon learned she would need both hands… one to lift him up slightly and the other to search his pocket. She carefully looped the fingers of her broken hand through one of his belt loops, took a deep breath and lifted. The pain was so intense, it was all she could do to not cry out but she knew it was vital to not make any sound. She quickly placed her foot underneath his hip, taking pressure from her hand and stuck her other hand into his pocket… the whole time not taking her eyes off of Steven's face. She fished around for a minute but didn't find any keys. _It figures_, she mumbled. She removed her hand and moved to his other side. Once in place, she did the same as before. It only took a second for her to find the object she was searching for. She gripped the keys tightly and pulled them out, careful to not to make any noise. Quickly searching the wad of keys, she looked for one small enough to fit the small lock around her wrist. Then she spied it - a small brass key hiding amongst two larger keys. She held her breath as she placed the key into the key hole and turned… a second later, she heard a click and felt the metal release from her wrist. Tears filled her eyes as she realized she was free. However, moans from Steven made her realize that she wasn't completely free and she needed to get out of the room before he woke up.

She carefully stepped over his body and scurried across the room to the stairs. She took the first step and looked over her shoulder to make sure he was still lying on the floor before continuing. She took another step and another, pulling herself up with one hand. Just as she was half way up the stairs, a noise caught her attention and she turned just in time to see Steven lunge for her, grabbing her legs. She let out a loud shrill as she held on with her good arm, all the while flailing and kicking as hard as she could but she couldn't free herself from his grip. He began to to climb up behind her, still holding onto her legs. Cameron kept moving her body and screaming at him to let her go. Just as she was about to lose the battle, she somehow managed to kick hard enough to break free, causing him to lose his grip and fall to the floor. Cameron didn't waste any time and shot up the rest of the stairs. Once she made it through the opening that placed her on the dining room floor, she kicked the small door shut and ran towards the front door. She frantically fumbled with the two deadbolts, all the while hearing her captor make his way into the other room. When the second deadbolt finally unlocked, she turned to see Steven step into the hallway.

"Allison!" He yelled.

Cameron didn't waste any more time and swung open the door and ran outside, stumbling onto the front lawn.


	67. Chapter 67

**Chapter 67**

Waters laid his head back on the head rest and yawned. "I have a feeling this is going to be a long, uneventful night."

"You're probably right but I just have a bad feeling about this guy."

"Have you ever thought that Mayer may not be the guy?"

"Sure. But I got a bad vibe when we talked to him today. That and the similarities between him and the guy Elizabeth Johnson saw talking to Allison. Why? You don't think he's guilty?"

Waters sipped his coffee. "I'm with you on this one. There is definitely something hinky about this guy."

"Hinky? What kind of word is hinky?" Hodges teased his partner.

"It's a good word." Waters answered with a smile.

Silence filled the air for a few minutes….

"I just hope we find something before it's too late." Waters added.

Hodges was struggling with that very fact. "I know. I hate these kinds of cases. They almost never end with good news.

"Sometimes they do."

"Sometimes." Hodges mumbled and took another sip of his lukewarm coffee. He was just about to lay his head back and close his eyes when the screams of a woman drew his and Water's attention towards Steven's house.

"What the hell?" Waters said as he watched a young woman run out of Mayer's house and fall onto the ground.

"Son of a bitch!" Hodges yelled as he was trying to open his door.

Waters was already running towards the woman by the time Hodges got his door open.

Waters was completely shocked when he saw who was sitting on the cold, wet ground. "Doctor Cameron?" He asked out of breath.

A scream tumbled across Cameron's lips when she felt Water's place his hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay." He said gently and placed his coat around her shoulders. "You're safe." He whispered. "I'm detective Waters."

When Hodges caught up a few seconds later, he had the same reaction as his partner when he realized it was Cameron. "Allison." He said.

Cameron looked up at the aging detective with her swollen face.

Anger filled Hodges. "Is Steven inside?"

Cameron didn't need to say anything. The fear in her eyes told Hodges what he wanted to know. He pulled out his weapon and turned to Waters. "Take her back to the car and call for back up. I'm going inside."

Waters walked Cameron to the dark sedan parked down the street. As he was helping her inside she grabbed his hand.

"Don't leave me alone." She pleaded.

Waters saw the desperation in Cameron's green eyes. "It's okay. You'll be safe here."

He grabbed his radio and shut the car door, making sure it was locked and called for back up as he ran to assist his partner.

Waters drew his weapon and carefully entered the front door that was standing wide open. "Hodges!" He called out but was only met with silence. He slowly made his way through the living room to the hallway. He stopped and listened. "Hodges!" He called out again.

"Down here!" Hodges yelled back.

Waters was relieved to hear his partner's voice and made his way to where the sound was coming from. He walked into the dining room and found the small door in the floor propped open. "Are you down there?"

"Yeah. You gotta see this."

Waters climbed down the wooden stairs. He could hear the sirens of their back up growing closer. "Is Mayer down here?" He asked as he made his way to where his partner was standing.

"No. I checked the house. He's gone." Hodges pointed to the chain and the thin mattress and blanket on the floor. "Look at this shit."

"What is all this?"

"I'm guessing it's where Dr. Cameron has been kept for the past week. Right here beneath our noses." Hodges answered.

"Unbelievable. How did you find it?" Waters asked.

Hodges motioned to the opening in the ceiling. "The door was open."

They both heard the sirens come to a stop outside.

"Sounds like our back up is here. C'mon. Let's get to work to catch this bastard."

Waters nodded and followed Hodges up the stairs.

It didn't take long before Steven Mayer's house was swarming with police and Cameron was on her way to Prinston Hospital with Hodges and Waters.

Once Cameron was in the ER and Hodges could step away, he dialed House's number, excited with the news he was about to deliver.


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

House sat on the side of his bed and stared at the small, white pill he held in the palm of his hand. Although the pain in his leg was increasing, he hesitated taking it. Part of him wanted to feel the pain to keep his mind off of Cameron… but his body ached for rest and he knew if he didn't swallow the white magic, he wouldn't sleep at all. He threw back his head and let the pill slide down his throat. He buried himself under the covers and it wasn't long before the drug did it's job and he fell asleep.

Two hours later, House was dreaming about stealing Wilson's lunch when the ringing of his cell phone pulled him away from his dream. _Damn_, he said with a heavy tone and grabbed his phone. Recognizing the number, he quickly sat up and answered.

"Yeah."

"House. Hodges here."

"Yeah, I know."

"We found her." Hodges calmly said.

House wasn't sure he heard correctly. "What?"

Hodges smiled. "We found Allison and she's at the hospital. That's where I'm calling from."

House swung his legs onto the floor. "Is she okay?" He asked hesitantly.

"The doctors are with her now. She has some bumps and bruises but she looks good, considering."

House was still trying to grasp the idea that Cameron had been found. "Where? How?"

"Get your ass up here and I'll tell you where and how." Hodges said with a chuckle.

House wasn't smiling. He was in shock. "Have you called anyone else?"

Hodges began pacing the hallway. "You're the first. After I hang up with you, I'm calling Dr. Cuddy and Bryan Cameron."

House could barely breath. "I'll call Wilson." He paused. "What about Mayer?"

Hodges paused. He wasn't sure whether to tell House the truth or not about Mayer getting away.

House could sense by the silence that all wasn't well with Mayer. "Detective?"

Hodges sighed heavily. "He got away but I have a lot of men looking for him."

"Do you have someone watching Cameron?"

"Of course. I don't think he will come that close to her so soon. If that's his plan, he'll wait for things to quiet down first."

House ran his hand through his hair. "I'll be there in a few." He said solemnly.

"I'll be here." Hodges said and hung up his end.

House held the phone in his hand for a minute, digesting the news. With shaky hands, he dialed Wilson's number. After the sixth ring, Wilson finally answered.

"Hello." A sleepy voice mumbled.

"It's about damn time." House rumbled as he popped another pill into his mouth.

"I was asleep House." Wilson said annoyed.

"They found Cameron." House said quickly.

"Are you serious?" Wilson asked suddenly becoming wide awake.

"No. This is one of my sick jokes." House said with heavy sarcasm. "Of course I'm serious. She's at the hospital and I want you there with her… as her doctor."

Wilson didn't waste any time responding. "I'm on my way." He hung up his end and began to get dressed.

House limped into his bathroom to throw cold water on his face but his reflection in the mirror caught his attention. He stared hard into the mirror at the man staring back at him. The deep lines etched into his face, seemed more defined than usual, making him look older than what he was. He looked away in disgust and stepped back into the bedroom. He should be relieved, excited that Cameron was alive… but instead, he felt nothing. He was numb inside. What kind of person was he to not feel anything? He asked himself. Was it possible that he hadn't really believed Cameron would be found? Had he prepared himself for the worse without realizing it? What would he say to her when he saw her? He wondered. There was so much left unsaid between them before she disappeared. He sat down on the side of the bed and for a moment, contemplated not going to the hospital at all but knew he couldn't do that to Cameron. He would deal with what he felt or didn't feel, later.

He slipped on the jeans he had tossed on the chair a few hours earlier and grabbed a clean t-shirt out of his top dresser drawer and pulled it over his head. A strange feeling came over him as he was slipping on his shoes but he shrugged it off to it being the middle of the night and just hearing the news about Cameron. However, as he started down the hallway, the ominous feeling took over again causing the hair on his neck to stand on end. He slowed his pace and as he rounded the corner into his living room, the strong smell of cigarettes filled his nostrils. It was at that time, he saw a shadowy figure sitting on his sofa and the glow of a cigarette shown through the darkness. He froze, wondering who in the hell was in his apartment.

House tossed his jacket on the chair in front of him and faced the person sitting across the room. "Who the fuck are you?" He asked in low tone.

"Doctor House." The voice across the room said in an incautious tone.

House tensed as the stranger said his name. He chose to remain silent while watching the glow of the man's cigarette increase with each puff.

Steven Mayer smiled enjoying the fact that House had no idea who he was. "I was hoping we would meet on better terms but it would seem that my plans have changed."

House was racking his brain, trying to place the man's voice but no one came to mind. He decided to ask again who had invaded his world. "Again, who the fuck are you and why the hell are you sitting in my living room?"

Steven let out a low laugh. "You might consider me to be your worst nightmare."

"I don't know about that. I have had a lot of nightmares." House shot back.

"Ahh, just like you to make a joke out of this. Isn't that what you always do? Treat everything as a joke… a game?" Steven was enjoying playing with House.

House was definitely not in the mood to play. He wanted answers and he wanted them now. "Cut the crap and tell me who you are."

"You know who I am. So, you cut the crap." Steven said loudly.

"I don't have time for your games, whoever you are." House went to reach for his jacket but stopped when the man spoke again.

"Running off to the hospital?"

House narrowed his eyes at his enemy.

"Running off to go take care of our Allison?" Mayer added.

A cold chill swept over House as he realized the person sitting across from him was Steven Mayer.

Steven smiled. "Know who I am now… Dr. House?" He leaned forward and put the cigarette out on the bottom of his shoe.

"You sick bastard. What the fuck do you want?" House asked in a dangerously low voice.

House's tone thrilled Steven. "I would think that would be obvious."

House said nothing as he watched Steven stand and move towards the fireplace.

"I'm here to kill you." Steven said flatly.

House's mouth went dry and his breathing became shallow.

"You don't have anything to say now? No cocky response?" Steven said sarcastically.

House carefully watched as Steven began to pace back and forth in front of the fireplace.

"I'm sure you have questions, so ask. Don't you want to know what I did to her?" Steven said as a small sick laugh escaped his mouth.

The pit of House's stomach tightened. The thought of Mayer touching Cameron sickened him and he wanted nothing more at that moment than to rip his head off.

Steven didn't care if House ever said a word. "You know Dr. House, you have been a thorn in my side from the very beginning. There was nothing I could do to keep Allison from thinking about you, wanting you… loving you. All I ever wanted to do was love her but she pushed me away and it was all because of you."

Steven moved across the room, slowly, like an animal stalking it's prey. House didn't take his eyes from him, all the while searching for a plan to survive whatever this maniac had planned for him.

"I do want you to know, however, I did have my way with her." He lied. "Her ivory skin was so soft and sweet tasting. Yes, I enjoyed every inch of her."

"Fuck you." House said with venom.

Steven let out a wicked laugh. "No Dr. House. Fuck you."

House watched as Steven pulled out a knife from underneath his jacket and began to toss it carelessly back and forth from one hand to the other. However, he wasn't scared. All he could think about at that moment was sucking the life out of Steven Mayer.


	69. Chapter 69

**Chapter 69**

Wilson hurried through the ER doors to find the hallways consumed with complete chaos. It was another busy night. He quickly spied Lisa walking towards him through the hoards of people.

"Where is she?" He quickly asked.

"Last curtain on the right." Lisa answered.

"Have you talked to her?" Wilson asked.

"Only for a minute. She's conscious." Lisa glanced around curiously. "Where's House."

Wilson stopped outside the green curtain that enclosed Cameron. "He should be here. I talked to him over twenty minutes ago."

"I'll give him a call." She said as she placed her hand on Wilson's shoulder.

Wilson glanced at Lisa's hand but quickly shrugged off the butterflies in his chest and stepped behind the curtain.

He quickly assessed the situation and saw several nurses and residents tending to Cameron. He stepped closer to the bed. Her eyes were closed and her flawless face was now bruised and swollen. Anger filled Wilson as he thought about someone hurting her. He bent over and whispered in her ear. "Hello beautiful."

Cameron opened her eyes to see Wilson's sweet smile. "Wilson." She whispered.

Wilson saw her eyes scan the room and he knew who she was looking for. "He's on his way."

A tear rolled down Cameron's cheek.

Wilson told the resident standing next to him what tests he wanted ordered and for Cameron to be taken to x-ray.

"I'll be up there in a minute." He assured her as he stepped out to look for Lisa, who was at the counter talking to detective Hodges.

Hodges and Lisa stopped talking when they saw Wilson walking towards them.

"How is she?" Hodges asked with concern.

"We won't know until we run tests and take x-rays. Do we know if there was any sexual assault? Did anyone ask her?"

"Not yet. I was waiting until we had her somewhere more private." Lisa answered.

"God, I hope she wasn't raped." Wilson added. "Did you call House?" He asked Lisa.

"Yes but it went to voice-mail."

Wilson glanced at his watch. "It's been over forty minutes since I talked to him."

Hodges saw the concerned look on Wilson and Lisa faces. "Tell you what. Why don't I run by House's apartment and see what the hold up is."

Wilson let out a long sigh. "That would be great. Something just doesn't feel right."

Hodges nodded. "If there's one thing I understand, it's a gut feeling. Have either one of you seen my partner."

Both Lisa and Wilson shook their heads no.

"He's probably trying to pick up on one of these nurses. If House shows up, one of you call me." Hodges said as he walked away.

"We will." Wilson said, then turned to Lisa. "I'm going up to see Cameron."


End file.
